Eidolon II: Adam and Eve
by Bittersweet Alchemist
Summary: Perfection is within sight. Adam and Eve have been united. A guardian has been created to keep the serpents out. But darkness still lurks within the boy's mind, and a confused past is causing her to falter as well. What nightmares lurk within their minds? Who is the snake? Who is the guardian? Will Eden rise again, or fail to exist? *Same warnings as last time*
1. Chapter 1

**{last time}**

**During the Saika-attack, Izaya and Shizuo were battling the red-eyed admirers at West Gate Park. Before leaving, Izaya gave Namie very firm instructions to let only them and Eidolon into the apartment. However, Shingen Kishitani and Tyrone Elsworth had been lying in wait, watching for that specific moment. When Eidolon arrived at the apartment, an unpleasant surprise greeted him. The fight with Saika done, Izaya and Shizuo have found a message from Namie, warning them away from the apartment. Neither she or Eidolon are answering their phones. What will Izaya and Shizuo find waiting for them at the apartment?**

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Izaya's POV}

My breath tore through my throat in the same way that Shizuo and I were through the streets. There was no time for the rest my body screamed for, adrenaline racing through my body as I ducked around and pushed through crowds of people. The only thing on my mind was Eidolon.

Shizuo was ahead of me by several yards, his longer stride working to his advantage. As we ran, I could hear a few people asking if we had it backwards. On any other day, I might have laughed. But not now.

Putting on an extra burst of speed, I gradually drew even with Shizuo. I was hardly breathing any more, the lack of oxygen making me see spots.

But I managed to hold out. The building seemed much more ominous compared to usual, threatening the worst. Both of us panting like dogs, we bolted through the doors, skidding across the floor and pounding up the stairs. Dashing down the hallway, the worst began to greet us:

The door was open.

Shizuo slammed through the door, with me hot on his heels, both of us yelling, "_EIDOLON!?_"

_No_.

Things were broken and overturned. Namie lay in a small pool of blood on the floor. Eidolon's phone lay discarded on the floor, along with bloodstained scraps of fabric. Looking again, I saw his choker, the velvety fabric torn through.

No... No, it... it couldn't be...

All of the exhaustion crashed down on me at once. I fell to the floor, crying softly. Shizuo silently moved over to Namie, wobbling a little.

"She's alive." he said, voice heavy. He didn't care about her. I knew that. I didn't care about her!

"... Shizu..." I whimpered pathetically, trembling as I closed my eyes against the tears pouring down my face.

"Izaya... Izaya, look..."

Slowly, jerkily, I lifted my heavy head to look at Shizuo's hand. Perching almost uncertainly on his palm was a tuft of orange hair.

"... Ty... Ty... It was..."

No... No no no _no_...

"It was Tyrone." I forced out. My eyes burned as I lunged forward, hugging Shizuo.

They hadn't wanted us! They had left us alone! Why?! Why, dammit, _why?!_

I screamed in frustration and anguish into Shizuo's chest. He held onto me tightly, saying, "There's a chance yet, maybe we can find him..."

But he didn't believe that. I could hear it in his voice.

Eidolon was _gone_.


	2. Chapter 2

{Shinra's POV}

"A coma?" Izaya demanded weakly.

"Yes. She was struck rather hard on the head. I don't know how long this'll last." I nodded, pushing my glasses up on my nose.

Izaya fell back onto the couch, Shizuo wrapping an arm around him.

It'd been three days now. Three days since everything had happened. For three days, Shizuo and Izaya had torn through the city and a few surrounding it, looking for Eidolon without rest. It was really starting to show. Their clothes were rumpled, torn and dirty. Their hair was messy. Their faces were tired, bags forming under their eyes Izaya's hands wouldn't stop shaking.

Celty had taken Izaya out to the remnants of the Kyoto lab, but they'd found nothing. All they could really do now was raid the Nagasaki lab or the one near Aokigahara. But nobody was just going to let them do that.

"... Izaya. You said the place looked ransacked." I murmured, bringing up something that'd been bugging me.

He waved vaguely, dismissively, eyes dull and dead.

The guy who'd taken Eidolon had also taken Celty's head.

My heart stopped. If she found out and he'd left Japan, she'd follow him! She'd leave!

"She told me she didn't need it any more... Was gonna give it back..." the informant mumbled into Shizuo's chest.

Celty turned to me in confusion. I laughed nervously, shaking my head. "Well, hey, they seem to want him alive—" I began, turning to the other two.

"That's not the point!"

I yelped as I was suddenly slammed back into the wall, Shizuo's face pushed up against mine. For someone who hadn't slept or eaten much in the past three days, he moved awfully fast... I coughed a little, blinking the tears in my eyes away. "The fucked-up president is a psychic. She wants Eidolon to love her. She'll _ERASE_ him, make him someone else! It won't be Eidolon anymore!" he yelled furiously.

Celty's shadows wrapped around Shizuo's midriff and arms, tugging him away from me. I stepped away from the wall, smiling gratefully at Celty.

**[She won't erase him.]** she told Shizuo as I moved over to Izaya, who seemed to have called asleep on the couch.

"How the fuck do you know?!" he screamed.

"Because she loves Eidolon. If she erases him, it won't be Eidolon anymore, like you said." I replied.

Celty 'nodded,' gently forcing Shizuo onto the other couch. **[She'll just rewrite what she doesn't want there. Change it to suit her needs, and leave the rest untouched.]**

"In essence, she'll leave what makes Eidolon Eidolon and take out whatever has no effect on his personality. Removing you two would prove tricky, but if she's as powerful as you claim, she'll find a way." I murmured. "Which means it would be... a little bit like amnesia. With the right trigger, he might remember."

For a moment, Shizuo's eyes lit up with hope, but then his face fell again.

"That means _nothing_ if we can't _find_ him."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

I stood in the study-window, one hand pressed against the cool glass.

Really, the estate was beautiful. The original Elsworth family had lived here. Looking around, you could almost feel them, still here... watching... waiting...

The estate had only come into our possession two years ago, when Lyell died. Being his closest living relatives, Tyrone and I had inherited everything by default. We had lived in a town not too far from here. A sweet old couple lived in our house now, an elderly man and woman with nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

A burst of static made me wince, closing my eyes.

The static didn't come from any machine. Rather, it came from my mind.

I shook my head, swallowing. The static gone, I opened my eyes, looking out the window again.

The sun was rising, bathing everything a mellow golden color. The large, grassy expanse of the estate was broken by a hedge-maze towards the back, carefully arranged trees and bushes, flower-beds, and cobblestone paths. Closer to the manor was a rose-garden, two fountains, and a small pool with water-lilies and goldfish. Statues of assorted figures stood like silent guardians at the stairs, the doors, and the corners of the large concrete patio.

_Everything_ should look like this.

There were too many people in the world. That was one thing that would have to change before Eden could be achieved. Fewer people used up less resources, destroyed less of the environment. Once the world's population was knocked down, the world could begin to naturally replenish itself. Many things would have to go or be changed.

My phone began to ring. I blinked, looking back over my shoulder at it. I didn't recognize that number. Probably a telemarketer.

That was another thing that would have to go. I understood that it was a job that some people needed, lacking proper skills for anything else, but it was annoying. Nobody seemed to actually listen to telemarketers or buy their products, so it was just using up valuable resources that could be used for other things.

I watched as a sparrow landed daringly on the windowsill outside. It chirped, twisting it's head back and forth to look at me as I stared at it.

My phone rang again. I ignored it at first, but then turned to see who it was, startling the bird.

Tyrone.

Picking the phone up, I answered. "What is it?" I asked shortly.

"We've successfully secured both Adam and the head! We just arrived in the Nagasaki lab today, and are making arrangements to transfer both as we speak!" he greeted happily.

"Wait... What are you doing?" I asked, confused. Arrangements? _What_ arrangements? Those had already been made _before_ you left, you idiot!

"It was Kishitani's idea. There's a jet leaving in about two days. It goes straight to where you wanted, and only takes one day. So we don't need nearly as heavy of sedation and can get this done faster."

He didn't sound pleased that Doctor Kishitani had thought this up, but it was a plan...

"Be more specific. You're going to disguise him as a patient, hence getting him on the plane using artificial documents and this alibi, is that it?" I asked.

"Sorta. You see, before we got him, he was in... a bit of an accident. He was hit by a car, and the hood-ornament came off in his side. He has seventeen stitches on his left ribcage, but it should heal up nicely. I'm going to become Kishitani's assistant— _yech_— and Eidolon will be a victim from a gang-fight, with a punctured lung. He's being transferred to a more experienced doctor in a city near the original facility. So far, everything's working out." he explained.

Four days.

Two until the flight. One for the flight. One for my work.

Four days _total_.

Four days until I had Adam.

"Tyrone, that's _perfect_. I'm glad you agreed to Doctor Kishitani's idea... I love you. Thank you so much." I said, smiling.

I didn't need to be psychic to know that Tyrone was _itching_ to do a dance of joy at that.

"Well, seeya in three days!" he said in farewell.

"Yes..." I murmured as he hung up. I didn't move, listening to the tone in my ear. Still smiling, I closed my eyes. "Yes, of course..."

A family. That's what I was close to obtaining. A family, the perfect family for the perfect world.

Another burst of static, stronger, made me cry out. I dropped my phone with a clatter, falling to my knees as I gripped the sides of my head and panted.

But that... only seemed to... make it... _stronger_...!

I uttered another weak cry, unable to support my own weight any more as I passed out.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Izaya's POV}

Celty and Shinra were taking care of us.

Three days without Eidolon... It felt like eternity...

Celty had taken Namie to Shinra after we had panicked and run out, calling everyone we knew to see if there was any trace of our son anywhere. But nobody had known anything. Nothing. Nothing at all.

I'd made Celty take me out to Kyoto. Shizuo and I had interrogated old clients, screaming and threatening. I had even gone to another info-broker to see if she knew anything, but she hadn't been able to give me anything. She had, however, promised me she'd look into Omega and the Elsworth family.

But what _good_ did that do?

Eidolon was _gone_.

I stared blankly at the ceiling. Shizuo lay on the other couch, asleep. Celty had dragged a chair over to sit between us.

... Her head was gone...

I had it, I could've given it to her, and I didn't. If she found out and chased after it, Shinra'd get upset. He'd blame me. Never speak to me again.

Pity. I guess he was sorta like a friend. Be a shame to lose that.

I laughed a little at that weak thought.

**[Are you alright?]** Celty asked.

"Fine... I don't think Shinra'll like me anymore soon." I replied.

**[What do you mean?]**

"Because you'll leave him soon. Tyrone stole your head from my apartment when he took Eidolon, and you'll chase after it, so Shinra'll get pissed off at me."

She didn't respond for a moment, then typed:

**[You're delirious. You haven't eaten or drunk much in the past few days. I'll go get you some water and something to eat.]**

I shook my head, rolling over.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Celty's POV}

_'Tyrone stole your head from my apartment.'_

From his apartment?

He was delirious, he _had_ to be. Izaya couldn't have had my head... not without Shizuo or Eidolon noticing, Namie would've known too!

My hands balled into fists. I was shaking, I noticed.

"Celty? Something wrong?" Shinra asked, coming up behind me.

I didn't answer.

"Celty?"

... He _couldn't_ have...


	3. Chapter 3

{Erin's POV}

"Ah!" I exclaimed.

"What'd you break?" Fierce asked playfully.

"Izaya emailed me every day. But I haven't gotten _anything_ from him for four days."

"... D'ya think OSI nabbed them...?"

"No... I don't think so..." I murmured. Otherwise _we_ wouldn't be here, would we?

"Then... what?"

I didn't answer, biting my lip. How did I find out...?

Come on, _dumbass_, you used to be in the _army_! Joseph taught you all sorts of things with computers! You were resourceful or you _died!_

... Duh, I had the answer right in front of me.

I logged out of my email and pulled up a Google-search. Typing in Izaya's name, I held my breath and hit enter.

The internet was low nowadays. You could find personal information about people online for free. If I was lucky, I'd find something usable about Izaya.

"Is that a blog?" Fierce pointed.

"... I don't know...?"

Clicking on the link, I opened it in a new tab. What instantly greeted us was an archive. I blew air out of my cheeks, clicking on the most recent one.

_'Something happened with Shizuo and Izaya a few days ago. We never see their son anymore, and they're asking about him or running frantically through the streets all the time.'_

The statement was accompanied by a picture of a rather worse-for-wear-looking Shizuo backing some guy against a wall, brandishing a one-way-sign as he snarled furiously. The guy he had cornered looked like a gang-member, only he was cowering and scared.

"... So Eidolon's missing. They've been looking nonstop for him." Fierce summarized.

Oh, boy...

"Hey, Fierce, how fluent is your Japanese?" I asked with a forced smile as I turned to look at him.

"I don't wanna go to Japan..." he frowned.

"We hafta. For Eidolon at the least. Who knows how many vivisections a day the poor kid is going through at whatever freaky lab he's at!"

"... I hate you..."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Izaya's POV}

I ignored my phone as it began ringing.

"Izaya, you should answer that." Shinra said.

I ignored him, too.

"Fine, I'll answer it."

I rolled over, grabbed my phone and sat up all in one fluid motion. "Hello?" I greeted dully.

_"Tokyo! Finally!"_ a familiar voice greeted in relief.

"Erin...?"

Shizuo sat up, looking at me.

_"Yep. Is Eidolon missing?"_

"Did they take Fierce too?!" I demanded.

_"I'm right here, louse!"_

Shinra stifled a chuckle, and I winced at how loud Fierce was. "Then..."

_"You haven't mailed me in four days. We got worried and looked you up online. There was some blog-thing that came up. The most recent entry talked about how Eidolon is never seen anymore."_

I was quiet. Shizuo dug into his pocket, taking out Eidolon's choker. I blinked away the tears beginning to form in my eyes and choked out, "T-Tyrone... He came and... he _took_ him... We were busy, told him to go home... But Tyrone... He _knew_..."

_"Hey... Calm down, it's alright... Fierce an' I, we're coming over, we'll help you look."_

If I wasn't so depressed, I would've laughed at the sugary, childish statement that humans took comfort in. "What can you d— Wait. Coming over?" I asked.

_"Yeah. Our flight leaves in five minutes, we'll be in Tokyo in about two days."_ he replied proudly. _"Oh, there's our call. Seeya in two days."_

"Erin—!"

Too late. He'd hung up.

"They're... coming _here_?" Shizuo asked in disbelief.

"Great, they can help you look for Eidolon!" Shinra smiled.

"Yeah... Sure..." I muttered, tossing my phone down.

What _good_ would it do?

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Celty's POV}

He was right.

Oh, god, he was right.

My head wasn't in Japan any more!

... It wasn't like... I still needed— No, like I still _wanted_ it quite as badly as I once had...

It was knowing that that bastard had had my head next to the whole time!

I needed to hit that son of a bitch... He and Shizuo were picking up their friends, Erin and Fierce, from Omega's lab. But when they got back, Shizuo'd have to keep me from throwing Izaya out the window!

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

"Tyrone!" I yelled, running through the halls. He turned around, smiling and opening his arms as I practically tackled him. "Thank you for bringing him back..." I said into my brother's chest.

"Of course! I'd do anything for you!" he smiled, albeit rather sadly.

Disengaging myself from him, I stood back and calmly asked, "Did you terminate the other subjects?"

"While we were at Nagasaki, I sent orders for that, yes. Doctor Kishitani has already gone back to Japan. He wished you good luck." he told me as we began walking through the halls.

I nodded distractedly.

This was what I wanted... right...?

I thought back to my thoughts on how to recreate Eden. The static in my head.

What had come after the static.

I shook my head.

"Eve, are you alright?" Tyrone asked, stopping me in the middle of the hall. White-coated workers scurried hurriedly around us.

"Just a little warm. I'll probably change into something cooler back at home." I lied, keeping everything blank and believable. However, Tyrone had that bit of perception into my mind, the vague feeling of what I was feeling.

"... You haven't been sleeping well, have you?" he asked in concern.

"Of course not. I'm too excited. _Everything_ is almost within our grasp, Tyrone. The perfect world, Eden, will be recreated sooner than anyone would've ever _imagined!_" I urged.

He nodded, but the concern stayed in place on his face. "Well... I guess we better get to work on making Adam for you, huh?"

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

"Woah!"

"What the—?!"

Celty's shadows jerked Izaya closer to her. Before any of us could question what was going on, she drew back her fist and squarely hit his cheek. It was a definite that he'd have a nice-sized bruise later.

"Celty, what's going on?" Shinra demanded, panicking a little bit.

The Dullahan dropped Izaya, whirling around to face Shinra, showing him something on her PDA. He looked startled and hurt.

"What's... going on...?" Erin muttered.

"Not sure..." I replied as Izaya got to his feet, hand covering his no doubt stinging cheek.

Celty rounded on _me_ now, bristling furiously as she shoved her PDA in my face.

**[You're not innocent here either! You knew, didn't you?!]**

"Knew? Knew what?" I asked uncertainly, starting to feel a little ticked off.

**[That Izaya had my head!]**

"_What?!_" I demanded, my gaze shooting to Izaya.

"Her head...?" Fierce murmured in confusion.

"Aah, so _that's_ what she's mad about..." Izaya shrugged.

"You sonova bitch!" I yelled. He was lucky Erin and Fierce were there to grab me, or he'd have had more than a bruised cheek. "Why the hell would you do _that?!_ Just _hide_ it from her like that?!" I roared.

Izaya looked a little startled, taking a step back.

Everyone in the room save Erin and Fierce had turned on him. If we snapped, I don't think the louse'd survive.

"Before anyone kills anyone, could someone please explain what's going on so we can get mad too?" Erin half-yelled.

I growled, wrenching away from him and Fierce. "About twenty years ago, Celty's head was stolen from her. She's been looking for it since then, following it from Ireland to here. And apparently this _DICK_ had it and didn't tell her!" I snapped shortly.

"Crude, but that about sums it up." Izaya nodded.

"Wait wait wait, before anyone goes about yelling anymore..." Fierce objected as we all began talking. All eyes turned to him. "... Her head is now missing again, right? Tyrone took it when he took Eidolon?" he guessed.

"Yes. OSI had been interested in the head while it was in possession of Yagiri Pharmaceuticals. My guess would be that they somehow knew that Izaya had the head and took it as well." Shinra replied heavily.

"... Why didn't they take it when they took _US_, if that was the case?" I demanded.

"At a guess, they didn't know until just recently." he shrugged weakly.

"So..." Fierce murmured. We all turned back to him. He looked at Celty, opening his mouth then closing it. She showed him her PDA. "Celty. Okay. How did you track your head before?"

She paused, clearly confused.

I was too, to tell the truth, my anger at Izaya slowly ebbing away.

"... A feeling... And you know this feeling is no longer in Japan?"

"Fierce, what're you getting at?" Erin asked in exasperation.

"... If... she's immortal to some extent, they'd want that for the perfect couple... So, theoretically, they'd have her head nearby where those two are..."

"So we could use Celty to find Eidolon!" Izaya exclaimed.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey!**

**First off, thanks for following us all the way here!**

**Second, sorry for the short chapters. They will get longer, I promise!**

**Third, I need a girl's name and a boy's name. These are _important_, so if you don't help, the story won't progress past a certain point!**

**Great! Thanks, please review and enjoy!**

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Celty's POV}

"So we could use Celty to find Eidolon!"

My first thought was anger. I was still mad at Izaya, why would I help him?!

But it was Eidolon.

"See, I told you we could help." Erin told Izaya smugly.

**[Why should I help?! He was keeping what I've been looking for for twenty years in his apartment! I'm pissed off at him!]** I objected.

"... Actually, I was gonna give it back... If Eidolon were here, I'd tell you to ask him. He walked in on me while I had your head out. I told him I was planning on giving it back to you, but asked him to keep it a secret." Izaya murmured.

**[Like that makes it any better?! Now I can be mad at Eidolon too!]**

"_Could everyone stop yelling?!_" Fierce bellowed.

We all fell silent.

... I had thought _Shizuo_ could be loud...

Fierce sighed, putting his face in his hands. Taking a deep breath, he ran his hands through his hair. "Alright. OSI has stolen two very important things. One party wants one, the other wants the other. So why don't we all get along until said objects have been recovered? Once that has been done, Celty can kill Izaya— or Shizuo can, I don't particularly _care_— we can all go home, and call it a happily ever after?" he said, voice calm.

"Sounds like a plan." Shinra said sadly.

Then I remembered why he was so upset. Turning to him, I typed a message for him to read.

**[They can keep my head for all I care. I'm just upset that everyone was keeping such a big secret from me. I'm not going to leave you.]**

Instantly, he brightened.

"So, does this work for everyone?" Fierce asked.

"Yes." everyone else chorused. I nodded.

"Of course..." Izaya said, trailing sadly off. "... We don't even know if he'll _want_ to come back."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{?'s POV}

_... Wait..._

_There was nothing here._

_There were supposed to be... things here! Memories!_

_But there was nothing!_

_Digging a little deeper, I found a small cache of... likes? Dislikes?_

_Images. Looking at each, I could feel some emotion. Something stirred into being with each image._

_But... they were incomplete. There were things missing here, too!_

_I began to panic._

_Who was I? Where did I belong? Did I have a family? Where were they? Where was I? Why was I there? How did I get there? Who was I?_

_"Hey, calm down. You'll have a heart-attack if you force yourself to panic like that."_

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

I sat up, gasping and flailing.

My heart was pounding as I looked around. Several people in white coats and festive animal-masks stood around the room. Sitting next to me was a girl. Her skin was kinda pale, her eyes golden. Her hair was a blonde that was so dark it might've been black, pulled into a loose pony-tail at the back of her neck. She wore a blue long-sleeved shirt and navy-blue skinny-jeans. Her nails were painted a glittering sky-blue. Sitting to the side of her face was a black rabbit-mask with golden sequins on it.

"Who are you? Where am I?" I demanded.

"Shh-sh-shh..." she soothed, reaching out and patting my hand. "My name is Eve. Yours is Adam."

I calmed down at her touch, swallowing nervously. "Great... but..."

"We're in a special laboratory that my brother and I own. Omega Science Incorporated. Don't worry... You're safe here. None of us would ever think of hurting you."

I blinked.

Okay, waking up with no memories except for a few vague favorites and a pretty girl who knows your name sitting next to you was... okay, I guess.

Eve smiled, tilting her head to the side as she rested her hand on my own.

Yes, it was definitely okay.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Izaya's POV}

I sat up, blinking awake.

I couldn't explain it, but it felt like...

... Like a part of me just _died_.

As Shizuo sat up, I could tell that he felt the same.

Eidolon was gone. Eve had succeeded in making Adam.

I vaguely remembered something I'd heard... '_A mother always knows._' Something like that. A woman talking about how she could be halfway across town and suddenly hear her child crying. Something like that.

... A mother always knows...

... A mother always knows... always knows when something's wrong...


	5. Chapter 5

{Shizuo's POV}

"How do you know?" Shinra asked in confusion.

"Mother knows best." Fierce answered for us. We nodded dully.

I took out the choker, rubbing my thumb over the cool silver charm. It was all that was left. There was nothing else. Just this.

Erin stood sharply up, slamming his fists down on the table. "You're _pathetic!_" he snarled.

"Erin—" Shinra began.

"Shut up for a minute, four-eyes. These two were possibly the _strongest_ people that Omega kidnapped, not physically, but _emotionally!_ If they're just gonna sit down, roll over and play dead when _one_ little thing goes _wrong_, might as well _not_ have escaped! _You!_ You got sick with an _unnamed disease_ that nibbled at your innards and didn't tell anyone until you were _socked_ in the gut! Someone who does insane suicidal shit like _that_ does not _lay down_ at something like _this! _It's just am-fucking-nesia! That can be fixed! I would know, I've had it a grand total of four times throughout my life!" he yelled, looking very ticked off. I think the only thing keeping him from climbing across the table to smack us was Fierce holding onto his shirt.

"He has a point. When the rest of us were lying down to be Omega's lapdogs, you were making plans for life outside of Omega. You were subconsciously planning an escape even when you knew you would die if you attempted it. How is this any different?" the giraffe-skinned male agreed, pulling his 'parent' back down into his chair.

"Because—" we began.

"No! No no no! It's _not!_ So _don't_ give me _any_ crap about that!" Erin snarled. Celty reached across Shinra to help Fierce restrain the New Yorker. "If you were taking that attitude back at Omega, you'd already be dead! Pull yourselves together!"

I stood up now. "What would _YOU_ understand?! He wasn't _your_ son! He wasn't _taken_ from the _one_ place you thought was _safe_ while you fought to protect him!"

"Did you forget all about Joey?! The second we were _safe_, the second we were _out_, my _BEST FUCKING FRIEND _was murdered! That sonova bitch and I served _together_ in the army! That sonova bitch saved my life I don't know how many times! And maybe you didn't know this, but I watched my little brother get shot! How is that any better from knowing you sent your son to his doom?! I stood by and _watched_ because I was ordered to do nothing!"

I was a little shocked.

"You... What?" Izaya asked.

"There was a riot or something going on, I was in the force putting it down, and my baby brother was rioting with the bastards. I was told not to do anything, just stand there and hold my ground. I did as my superior ordered and _watched_ as the next guy over shot my brother. You both have little siblings, _SURELY_ you can _IMAGINE_ what it feels like to do _THAT_. Feel _ANY_ better than what's going on now?!"

Slowly, I shook my head. From the corner of my eye, I saw Izaya do the same.

"You know why?! 'Cause your brat is still _ALIVE_. They ain't knocking _him_ off _ANY_ time soon! You can still get him _BACK! _Can Fierce an' I get _JOSEPH_ back?"

Again, we shook our heads.

"So stop wallowin' in your goddamn self-pity, get off your asses, and _DO_ somethin' about it!"

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shinra's POV}

"Well... That worked." I said.

"I've got some practice." Erin said dismissively.

"... So, what exactly is the plan?" I asked.

"Well, we're gonna steal your girlfriend and chase after her head. From there, we'll wing it." Fierce hummed.

Izaya and Shizuo had left about a minute ago for Iza— their apartment. They had said they were going to clean up and get a few things. Erin and Fierce were waiting here for them to get back.

"... Very... Um, well, rough. You may want more details than that. Otherwise you'll all just wind up getting shot." I smiled nervously. These two were an awful lot like Shizuo, weren't they...?

A muffled noise from the room where I was keeping Namie had me up and in the next room in seconds.

"... You..."

She'd woken up. Finally. I pushed my glasses up, moving over to her. "Careful. Don't push yourself too hard. You've been asleep for almost a week, and your condition isn't the most stable." I warned as she sat up.

Shooting me a dirty look, she continued to stand up. "What... What happened?"

"Eidolon was kidnapped and Celty's head stolen by one of the people—"

"Two. There were two." Namie said sharply.

"Two?" I echoed.

"Yeah... Your dad and some freak with orange hair..."

I stopped breathing for a minute.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Izaya's POV}

"_Shingen's_ mixed up in this? Why am I _not_ surprised?" I muttered.

Celty was fuming. She wasn't the craziest about the guy either. Shizuo had no idea who we were talking about, blinking in confusion.

"Shingen Kishitani is Shinra's dad. Apparently he's working with Omega." I explained shortly. _That_ he understood, and growled. "If we encounter him, I think Celty has first dibs— After all, he's the one who stole her head."

**[He's also the one who brought Saika to Ikebukuro, and it was Saika who distracted you while Eidolon was taken.]**

"Never mind, I call him first." I growled darkly, changing my mind. I wasn't too fond of Shingen to begin with, but that was probably the straw that broke the camel's back. He seemed to be the source of half the chaos in Ikebukuro now.

He was stealing _my_ job. I didn't particularly like that.

_And_ he just stole my son.

He was toast.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

"So we're going to follow Celty as far as we can, then look for the most prominent OSI lab. After that, we find some way to infiltrate the lab and find out what happened to Eidolon, then get the hell out of there, come up with a plan to rescue him, execute said plan, and haul ass back here?" Fierce summarized.

"At the moment, that seems like the best course of action, yes." Shinra nodded.

I nodded, biting my lip. I couldn't see any flaws with it _except_ that it might _not_ be the most prominent lab. And maybe Celty'd be able to give us some directions to roughly what lab it might be, unless it was some stupid underground thing...

Screw it, if it _was_ underground, I'd make Erin blow it up!

"Then we should get a move on." Shizuo rumbled, standing up.

I nodded, following him as he moved for the door.

"Doc said _we're_ hotheads; Get your asses back here so we can hash out details!" Erin snapped. "From experience, I can say that having the big things worked out and ignoring the small ones is a _BAD_ idea and only gets people killed."

"What details?" we demanded in unison.

**[How about roughly what direction we should be going?]** Celty asked. **[It would help to know that, and maybe how many labs there are in that area of the world.]**

Groaning impatiently, we came back to the group.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

"Where're we going?" I asked uncertainly.

"Home." Eve replied with a soft smile as we walked through the town. "It's about two miles outside of town-limits. The lab is about thirty."

Two miles... Could I walk that far?

"Sure. You're strong, you can make it."

I forgot she could do that... It was a little unnerving how she just randomly poked inside my brain...

"I'm not. You're broadcasting so loud I'm surprised that _other_ people can't hear it too." she giggled.

I felt my cheeks flush, ducking my head to hide in the warm shadows of the sunset.

The sunset painted everything a dark orange. The sun itself was a disk of red, hiding behind the plum cutouts of trees and houses as we walked through the town. Indigo wads of cotton lounged lazily about the sky, while wisps of smoky purple played hide-and-seek on the darker half of the sky, where silver stars were beginning to peek out. The sky was yellow and orange around the sun, then faded to an aquatic green before turning black. It was really beautiful...

... Kinda like her...

Eve turned to me, blinking in surprise.

I blushed harder, walking faster.

"Uh-mm..."

"... Ye-es...?" I replied nervously, turning around.

"It's this way." she said, pointing down a street I'd passed.

"Oh... Okay..."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

I'd left everything that was Eidolon in there.

I hadn't put anything in— To tell the truth, I hadn't taken anything _out_, just hidden it.

These flustered, timid thoughts about me were his genuine thoughts.

Would... Would he have acted this way... if I had approached him, not as Eve, the ideal girl, but... just Eve? As a young girl with no connection to OSI?

I suppressed my sigh.

No.

I couldn't think of shutting this down. Not while I was so close.

... I loved him. He really was perfect...


	6. Chapter 6

{Celty's POV}

"Europe?" Shizuo said.

**[That's the best I can get right now. Somewhere in that general area. Once we get closer, I think I'll be able to pinpoint it better.]**

"Have something against Europe, Shizu-chan?" Izaya teased.

"No... Yes. There are lots of myths of bizarre things that happen in Europe. What if they're _not_ myths, but Omega meddling with shit?"

"Myths like what? Miss Sturluson?" Fierce asked.

"There's that, yes, but I'm not scared of her. I mean like the abundance of vampires they seem to have, or..."

I would've sighed if I could've. This was going to be a _long_ trip...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

"... Eve, why're you holding a severed head?!" I demanded, feeling a major wave of déjà vu crash down over me.

I'd been with Eve and Tyrone on the Elsworth estate for two days now. I'd grown fond of Eve, but suddenly walking into her study to see her holding a head was a _little_ on the '_fuck NO_' side.

"It's a Dullahan's. We were going to try and find the secret of it's immortality, then give it to you and I. But I'm starting to think that maybe that's not as great an idea as originally thought. I'd like to grow old with the one I love, rather than live forever in a hormonal teenager's body."

"Oh..." Yeah, that explained _everything_...

"One of our scientists acquired it in Japan. The head was stolen from the original owner a long time ago."

"Eve, won't she want it back?" I asked, coming up behind her. Wow, the head was kinda pretty... Not like Eve, but in a more... ethereal kind of way. Eve was more... I don't know. _Substantial_, I guess.

"You're sweet." she giggled. "If the original owner was to come for her head, I wouldn't prevent her from taking it. However, Tyrone _did_ have an idea involving it..."

"I don't wanna know. Tell me when I absolutely need to know." I mumbled into her shoulder. "Just... don't do anything _stupid_, 'kay?"

I winced as a sudden burst of static crossed my mind. Static. Like on a TV-set.

"Adam?" Eve asked in concern as I pulled away from her with a groan.

"Headache." I lied, waving her off.

"Should we make Tyrone look at you?"

"Nothing an aspirin won't fix, don't worry..." I told her.

"Okay... Take that and lie down, alright?"

"Okay, okay... Really, Eve, I'm fine, it's not the end of the world, okay?" I said, shaking my head.

"... It would be if you weren't okay..."

I think that was why I liked her. She was sweet, soft, she cared about me, and she kept me on my toes. Plus she was cute and really smart.

Okay, now about that aspirin...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Tyrone's POV}

"Static?" I asked.

"Yes. Like the kind on a TV, almost... When we were talking, he said something, and then... A burst of static filled his head. It took him by surprise. It took me by surprise... I don't know what it means." Eve nodded.

I frowned, taking the head as she gave it to me. If Eve didn't know what something meant, it was a pretty safe bet that I didn't. And I didn't. I was just as stumped as her here. I didn't know of any... medical things involving static, not without being accompanied by something else...

"... Sorry..." I said, shaking my head.

"Fine. It's fine. Don't worry, I know how to call you if we need you." she waved off. "How's he coming along?"

"Right now, he's still in two separate parts. We'll combine the two together soon, but first we need to give them time to... adapt." I informed her.

"Where's she come in?"

I looked at the head as she pointed to it. "A companion. All living things require the company of others. I figured something a little _less_ than human, but still _recognizable_ as such, would be the best choice for this companion. That way he'll be more subdued, easier to control." I explained.

"Her name is Celty. Celty Sturluson. Make sure you let him know that." Eve told me, shooing me out of her space, but not out of the study.

"Of course. So, what're you working on?" I asked, looking over her desk. Lots of papers, graphs, charts, and folders... What on _earth_ was she _doing?_

"Things that'll need to change in order to acquire Eden. I'm going to tell Adam our purpose soon, and then see what he thinks of the things I've found so far." she said, handing me one of the charts.

_'World Population.'_

"Changing that will be the toughest of all to right, Eve. I hope you know that. You'll have to hand-pick what people get to survive and those that will be eliminated. And after that, how do you intend to..."

I trailed off, my question incomplete.

The viruses Omega worked with, of course... All we had to do was choose one that we'd already concocted a vaccine for and release it. Like the one that Orihara had contracted after the explosion caused by the Mexico City regular. We'd cut it close there... Almost lost Eidolon.

"Adam." Eve corrected sharply.

"Adam, sorry..." I murmured.

Ideally, the one to release would be the one that the workers had dubbed 'Beholder's Eyes.' The virus attacked the nervous system, causing the victim to see things. One of the other symptoms of the virus was the way the eyes turned red, and eventually wept thick red tears. As the virus progressed, the central nervous system began to deteriorate. The victim would lose control of their body, having shuddering spasms that eventually led to cardiac arrest.

However, we had yet to concoct a vaccine for that one... So perhaps the modified strain of Bubonic Plague we'd been working on would serve the best...

"We'll worry about that when the time comes. There's still an awful lot of work to be done before we can get to that. We need to focus on what's important right now." Eve said dismissively, sitting down at her desk.

"Your fertility." I murmured, reaching into my pocket. "Since you're only sixteen, I'm _really_ worried about giving you these. It's like giving you a bagful of drugs and saying, 'Have fun.'"

"One every other two days should suffice. I know the risks of potentially having up to ten or more children at once because of this. That is a sacrifice I'm willing to make for the new Eden. The perfect boy and the perfect girl will spawn the perfect race." Eve said absently as I put the bottle of pills down on her desk. "Omega is to take an ecologically healthy turn from here. Have any places near bodies of water clean them, those near forests do the same, all with as little damage to the environment as possible."

I nodded, shifting the head under one arm. "Anything else?" I asked her.

"No. Not right now. Shoo. Go work. Tomorrow you have a day off." she said, flicking her wrist at me to get out.

Smiling, I nodded and bowed out.

Walking through the halls and into the foyer, I saw by Ei— Adam.

"Hey, you. Eve was just telling me about your headache earlier. You feeling alright?" I greeted.

His head whipped around, away from the window he was at to look at me. "Huh? Oh, yeah, fine. Hey, what're _you_ doing with the head?!"

"Miss Sturluson?" I asked, looking at the sleeping head under my arm.

"Ack, she even has a name? I just thought it was a Dullahan's head is all. I didn't think they _had_ names."

"I guess they do." I shrugged nonchalantly. "But she has to do with the new head of security. That's all."

"Ha-ha, _very_ funny. I see what you did there. Hey, why're you always so... droopy around me?"

I blinked, looking at him in confusion as a light breeze drifted through the window. "Droopy? As in... gloomy and sad?" I asked. He nodded, reaching up to brush his bangs from his eyes. "... That's a better topic to ask Eve about." I told him, shifting uncomfortably.

"I'd rather not. I already bug her enough. But I don't know much about you. It seems better to learn about a person directly from them, don't you think?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. Eve liked Eidolon for more than his looks, I knew that... His philosophical side was a big part of why she liked him. He was certainly a deep person, I'd give him that.

But how did I... Hm...

"Truth be told, I love her. As _more_ than a brother. I wish she'd feel the same for me, but she loves _you_ instead. Still, as long as she needs me, I'll be there for her. I'll do whatever she wants me to and ensure that she gets everything she wants." I told him, looking to the side.

"She... With _me_...? Really...?" he stammered.

"Earth to Adam! Eve loves you!" I said playfully, reaching out to poke his forehead.

"So that's why you're always drooping around me? You envy me?" Adam guessed.

"Yes. Exactly. I wish I was in your place, the object of her passion... We're very close already, her mind has... melded to mine, so that even though I lack her ESP, I have some perception into her mind. She promised me that we'd come even closer once she had the perfect boy, once her goal became within reach."

As he opened his mouth to ask me what this goal was, I smiled, shaking my head. "All in due time, Adam. All in due time."

He pouted, turning to stare out the window again.

"Well, I have to go to work now. I've apparently got the day off tomorrow, meaning Eve wants me to take you two on an outing, so we can talk more then." I told him, ruffling his hair. He nodded, murmuring an okay. I smiled. "Try not to hurt Eve, alright? I'm not allowed to kill you, but I will mess you up if you do." I said cheerfully.

"I thought the _dads_ were supposed to be the protective ones..." he mumbled, casting me a sidelong glance.

"In the absence of the father, big brother worries. Oh, by the way, when Eve does tell you, I recommend you take her seriously."

Adam tilted his head to the side in confusion. I smirked a little, holding a finger to my lips. Readjusting my grip on the head, I left the house.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{3rd Person POV}

Two people sat alone in a blue-lit room, watching each other.

They were told that they were... a mistake. That they were supposed to be one person. But how did that work when they looked nothing alike? When one was older than the other?

Still, they were told to work in-sync with each other. To learn how the other thought and think like him, to become just like him.

The door opened. As one, they turned their heads to face the doctor there.

"Hello, Doctor Elsworth." they greeted in a monotone.

"Sounds like you'll be ready soon. I brought you a friend." the masked man said, obviously smiling. He lightly tossed them an object wrapped in a red cloth. Again, as one, the two lunged forward and caught the object. "Go on, open her up." Tyrone encouraged.

Slowly, they complied.

"... A..."

"... head...?"

"Her name is Celty. Celty Sturluson. She'll keep you company, even after we reunite you two. Okay?"

They looked at each other, a little uncertain. All the same, they nodded.

"And seeing how well you're working together, I think we can do that soon!"

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Izaya's POV}

"Feeling anything?" I asked Celty.

She looked around, then pointed vaguely.

"... That way? I don't think there's much out that-a-ways..." Erin muttered.

"Unless it's underground again." Shizuo murmured.

I hoped it wasn't. I _really_ hoped it wasn't.


	7. Chapter 7

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

"Eden? Eve, that's... That's... To do _that_, you'd have to hand-pick people to populate that." I said in disbelief, shaking my head.

"It's what we were _meant_ to do." she said softly.

"Eve... Please, are you feeling alright? Should we have your brother look at you?" I asked in concern.

"Her brother is well-aware of this goal, and fully supports it."

I spun around to look at Tyrone, who was closing the study-door. I swallowed, suddenly beginning to sweat as I trembled. This was starting to feel very _not okay_...

"Eve was made, not born. She was made for the purpose of recreating Eden. And you, Adam, were chosen to be her partner." Tyrone said, not moving from in front of the door.

"No, that... that _can't_ be done! You'd have to force the world through so much change all at once, you'd tear it apart, _not_ fix it!" I objected.

"That's why Eve's ordered everything to move slowly. Omega Science Incorporated has taken an environmentally healthy turn, recycling paper, steel and plastic wastes, cleaning and caring for the environment, and even working to rebuild some of the rainforests."

"That alone won't be enough, of course... But like you said. Changing everything at once would not be good for the world." Eve nodded.

I shook my head stubbornly. "It _can't_ be done."

"Where there's a will, there's a way." Tyrone said calmly.

"Please, Adam... Already, around the world, there are people working for this individually, on their own. We can give them what they deserve for their efforts." Eve pleaded, eyes wide as she leaned across the desk.

"I can't help you." I told her, shaking my head. Her eyes flashed. "You're both _wonderful_ people, but a project of such magnitude is next to _suicidally insane_."

"Adam. Eve sacrificed _everything_ for this. Remember my warning?" Tyrone growled. If he'd had fur, I could guarantee that the patch on his shoulders would be bristling.

"Tyrone." Eve said sharply. Continuing in a softer tone, she said, "Please, Adam... If we can get it just right, we won't _have_ to kill anyone."

I shook my head again. "I... I need to go outside. I need... oh, man, this is _nuts_..."

Tyrone barely moved enough for me to get out. I was tense the whole time I was within three feet of him. Once I got into the hallway, I forced myself to take a deep breath, moving slowly through the house. I continually ran my hands through my hair.

This... It was just...

I stopped at the top of the stairs, resting one hand on the railing. I stared out the window, wondering when on earth all this crazy _shit_ began happening.

I just needed a little space, a little time to think...

Yeah...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

Logically, we should've expected this from Eidolon. It was the sort of person he was.

I chuckled, a small smile creeping onto my face.

"He really is perfect, isn't he? With that ideal that all things deserve the right to live and whatnot." Tyrone huffed moodily, crossing his arms over his chest. Adding to his childish behavior, his back slid down the door as he sat down, slouching in a very unattractive way.

"Exactly... It's such a shame... I'll have to corrupt those thoughts... We need to do these things. If I can work him over just right, he won't suspect anything and he'll agree to help us." I nodded.

"... Can't you just flat-out brainwash him?"

"No." I said sharply, pointing a warning finger at him. He held his hands up submissively.

Suddenly his phone rang. I waved dismissively. He nodded, sighing as he took it out and answered it. "Y'ello... Yes, it's Doctor Elsworth, whaddya want?... What? You're kidding."

A tinge of fear suddenly crept over our bond, and I raised my to look at him.

"... No, he's only been through the town near here... No, he just went outside... He's not leaving. We've got security, Eve and me. See what you can do to detain them... Yes, _even_ the Dullahan! Dimwit!"

"You're kidding." I said flatly.

Tyrone stood up. "They're coming. They even brought the two from Manhattan that got away, and the Dullahan's with them."

I growled, hands balling up into fists.

"Eve, how'd they find us so fast? They're in Paris right now, asking about Omega, about us, and about Eidolon." Tyrone said, beginning to pace back and forth. He was stressed, and tigers hated staying still under stress. So when that happened, they paced. You didn't have to be psychic to know that.

"Dullahans and their heads are one entity, technically speaking, connected by the soul." I murmured.

"They're using her to track the head." he completed. "Dammit, then it's _my_ fault! You wanted to get rid of it, but I just _HAD_ to keep it for my stupid science-project, I'm so goddamn _sorry!_"

No... No, we hadn't lost yet... Miss Sturluson had been in Japan for twenty years, right on top of her head, and never known. If we were lucky, we'd have a similar case... Of course, now the head was in the middle of nowhere, a little obvious...

"How close is he to ready?" I asked.

"...?"

"Your project. The head of security." I elaborated.

In Tyrone's mind appeared the patchwork creature from Izaya and Shizuo's dreams. A few quick calculations were done, and then he replied, "He'll be ready for work in about three days."

"Slow them down. Somehow. We've got work to do at the original lab now."

"Eve..."

His eyes were wide as he stared at me in confusion.

"... You're going to _destroy_ the lab?!"

I smirked.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

"Nobody I asked has _any_ idea who Eidolon is." Erin said, stuffing in his hands in his pockets.

"The ones we asked were aware that OSI's doing some weird shit, but they haven't had any problems with the bastards." I muttered.

Celty didn't 'say' anything, looking thoughtful. I watched her as Izaya, Fierce and Erin began talking about what to do next.

"Celty?" I said softly.

**[My head. It's more]**

She stopped typing, looking lost for words.

**[lonely.]**

"That doesn't really make any sense."

**[It's not in any big city, I think. I think it's in the middle of nowhere or something.]**

"Why didn't you say that earlier?"

Celty and I both jumped as we realized the others were hanging over our shoulders.

"Which direction?" Izaya asked.

Before Celty could reply, there was a knock at the door. Sighing, I got up to answer it. A rather flustered woman stood there, looking about in something akin to fear. "Can I help you?" I asked slowly.

"You... you're looking for Omega, right...? The president...?"

I nodded.

Dark blue eyes flooded with tears. "Please, they took my children!" she cried softly, hiding her face in her hands.

"What?" I gasped, reaching forward to catch her as her knees buckled.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{?'s POV}

Honestly.

Everyone was so _gullible_.

No _wonder_ we'd been cast out of Eden.

I reached up, stretching. I groaned as several loud cracks sounded, my back popping back into place.

Now I just had to work on _my_ patchwork doll...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

A burst of static washed over me, making me yelp and jump up, grabbing at my head.

It was accompanied by a sense of dark satisfaction... What... Tyrone, what're you _doing?!_

... No, it couldn't be him... he was just downstairs playing Chinese Checkers with Adam and two of the guards...

Who..._ Who was in my head?!_

I gasped as the static grew stronger, panting dizzily.

As the static broke, I screamed.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

"She's unconscious!" I yelled.

"What?! Eve doesn't just faint! You, go get the medical kit!" Tyrone barked, pointing at one of the guards. He hurried to obey. "Here, give her here!" Tyrone ordered, sitting across from me. I gingerly handed Eve to him. He began checking her pulse, heartbeat and breathing.

What was going on...? My breath was coming short, fear beginning to override my mind. Why had Eve screamed? What was wrong? Was it my fault?

Tyrone yelled at us all to get out as the medical kit arrived, and we practically tripped over each other in our rush to obey. The guard behind me on the way slammed the door shut behind him. All three of us hung nervously outside the door, pacing, prancing, thumb-twiddling and murmuring incoherently.

Something was seriously wrong and I was going to _throttle_ those responsible.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

"She's alright?" I asked in disbelief.

"I can't find anything wrong with her. I think she's been working too hard." Tyrone nodded.

Stress...? A... panic-attack, or a mental-breakdown...?

I didn't believe that for one minute. Something was _wrong_. If it wasn't with her body, it was with her mind.

As everyone else left the room, I delicately took Eve's warm hand into my own.

"... Eve... sweetheart... What's _wrong?_ You can tell me. Why are you _doing_ this? What's _driving_ you to _do_ this? You can _talk_ to me." I murmured, holding her knuckles against my lips.

It might've been my imagination, but she seemed to hold tight onto my hand.

"I'm here... I'm here... I want to help you, but... how do you _choose_ who survives and who doesn't?" I lamented, closing my eyes.

"You elect the strong and pure ones..."

My eyes opened to stare into Eve's eyes, gold meshing with auburn and honey. "How do you define that?" I asked, not letting go of her hands.

"Like you."

I sighed, shaking my head softly.

"Eidolon... I was made for this... programmed, almost... I need to do it..."

I touched my forehead to her fingers, holding her hand in both of my own. "I won't help you kill people. It's noble to want to fix the world, but I won't help you kill people. I'll help you with anything but that. I won't kill people, Eve." I said, closing my eyes.

"... Okay... Okay..."

I lifted my head again, wondering why I felt tears burning in the corners of my eyes. She smiled softly, her free hand cupping my cheek. I leaned into her touch, sighing.

"C'mere..." she smiled, gently pulling on me.

I obliged, leaning forward. Somewhat hesitantly, I pressed my lips against hers in a chaste kiss.

As we parted, I felt a few of the tears slip free.

"Eve... I _love_ you, okay...?"

Her eyes widened a little, her hand squeezing mine. "... I love you too..."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

**A/N: I want reviews now, okay?**

**Even your rage at Eve.**

**I still need names. It's becoming urgent that I get these names, okay? You guys gotta help me!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: ...**

**My girlfriend's best friend died in a car-crash a few days ago.**

**The two of us will be singing at the funeral, and then I'll be taking a few days of to comfort my beloved. So I won't be updating for a rather long while.**

**I apologize, but this is what must be done.**

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Izaya's POV}

"Her son and daughter were kidnapped, or so she claims." I muttered.

It was too convenient.

"Cute kids, though." Fierce said, passing Celty the picture.

A little boy with auburn hair and hazel eyes, and an even smaller girl with black hair and brown eyes. Something about the picture itself didn't seem right, too.

**[It's a logical guess that the kids are in the facility just outside of the city. If they went missing just a day or two ago, I doubt they even transported them anywhere.] **Celty 'said.'

"The big question is if we can afford this sidetrack." Shizuo frowned.

"Let's _not_, and say we tried." I growled. "Every second we waste is another second of Eidolon being brainwashed."

"However... Theoretically, we could use it to our advantage. If we can find the kids, maybe we can find Eidolon." Erin pointed out.

I frowned.

This didn't seem _right_... There was a nagging want at the back of my head to help this woman who was suffering the same way _I_ was, but I just didn't think... It was too _convenient_, like Omega had sent one of their masked bitches to sidetrack us. I bet that was what it was.

"Omega sent her." I declared, standing up.

"Slow down, Tokyo, what?" Erin said with a bit of a laugh.

**[Yeah, how do you get that?]**

"It's too convenient. Instinctively, we'd want to help her, as we are experiencing the same loss. Omega surely knows by now that we're hunting them down, so they sent a masked bitch with a photo of some random kids. We get sidetracked and Omega snares us in some trap or other." I said fiercely.

"Slow up, how—" Fierce began.

"Izaya used to toy with people's emotions. He anticipated every move they'd make and set up something else according to that. He reads humans like open books." Shizuo murmured, frowning.

"Board books. The ones with like five words that you give to babies." I interjected.

"... Still, we can't risk it. We'll continue to ask around, see if anyone recognizes these kids." Erin said, standing up as well.

"We can't _afford_ to get sidetracked." I growled.

"Then go ahead and die when Omega catches you on your own."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon's POV}

"So, how's the head of security coming?" I asked, watching the clouds scutter past.

"He'll be here tomorrow. Just a heads-up, he's a little... mm, well, kinda on the _monstrous_ side." Tyrone said through a mouthful of food.

"Is he a rakshasa, like you?" I questioned, tilting my head back to look at him and Eve.

We were having lunch outside. It was a really nice day out, warm and sunny. Combine that with their awesome cooking skills and a full tummy, lazing about and watching the clouds while we chatted felt _marvelous_.

"No. Tyrone... Well, you could say that he was a happy accident. Out of all the rakshasa-subjects, only one was successfully altered without resulting in death. All of them died except for Tyrone." Eve hummed.

"Awful." I frowned.

"When an Omega worker volunteers for something, we know that there is every chance we won't come out alive. The others who volunteered knew the risks as well as I did." Tyrone assured me.

"Still awful. People _dying_ is awful." I said stubbornly.

"Eidolon, haven't you ever heard the legend of Apollo's son?" Eve asked.

"... Which one?"

"The one that was such a good doctor, he could bring people back from the dead! Because of him, nobody ever _died_ anymore. The world became crowded. People became poor, hungry and barbaric, almost like wild animals, but he didn't stop. Finally, the people pleaded to Zeus to do something to help him. He was already angered at Apollo's son for defying how things should work, and his brother Hades wasn't the happiest with the souls that were rightfully his being snatched from his realm. So he struck the man down with a thunder-bolt," Eve explained, "In the end, people _need_ to die in order to live."

I sighed, not answering as I stared at the sky.

She was right. I knew that, but that didn't mean I had to _like_ it.

"He does that a lot." I commented.

"Who does what now?" Tyrone asked, the two of them looking at me quizzically.

"Zeus. Hit people with lightning." I elaborated, rolling to my feet. "I mean, it's like, 'I don't like you!' _Whap_ 'im on the head with a thunder-bolt! 'You're evil!' _Whap_ 'im on the head with a thunder-bolt! 'I'm pissed off, how about target-practice?' _Whap_ 'im on the head with a thunder-bolt! 'How about you?' _Whap_ 'im on the head with a thunder-bolt!"

As I said this, I swaggered haughtily back and forth, miming throwing bolts of lightning at mortals below me. Eve and Tyrone laughed in amusement.

"Careful, there, Zeus-y, you might break something important!" Tyrone chuckled.

I turned to him, legs spread wide and hands on my hips. "Dost thou _mocketh_ me, Titan?" I challenged in an obviously fake voice that was supposed to be deep and booming.

"Uh-oh, you're in for it now, Tyrone!" Eve giggled.

"Have at you!" I roared playfully, lunging for Tyrone.

"You'll never take me _aliiiiive!_" he crowed, jumping away.

I began to chase Tyrone around the stretch of green we were on, pretending to throw things at him while I yelled, "_Whap! Whap! Whap!_" over and over again. Eve stayed seated, laughing at us the whole time.

Eventually, Tyrone stopped running, crying, "I'm hit!" He dramatically fell to one knee, hand over his chest as he reached for the sky, mouth open in a theatrical dying moan. "Ah, cruel, cruel fate... Why dost thou cut my thread so short? Ah, my life leaves me! My limbs grow cold! Tell my sweet, beloved Eve, I loved her! Tell the gods-son, Adam, that... that... meh, I don't have much to say about him, forget it."

With that, he flopped over, closing his eyes and sticking his tongue out in death. I fell to my knees laughing, and Eve was rolling on the ground laughing at us. Tyrone rolled onto his back, sitting up with a cheeky grin.

"So, how was my swan-song?" he asked once we'd recovered.

"Oh, it was very, um... Eve, help?" I smiled, looking to the dark blonde.

"Very theatrical, but I still like Mercutio's better." she replied, smiling.

"Not as deep as a well, nor as wide as a church-door— Ask for me tomorrow and you'll find me a grave man." Tyrone recited.

"A plague on both your houses! They've made worms-meat of me!" I bawled.

We all began laughing again.

Aah... Yeah, this was nice... I smiled, sitting behind Eve and wrapping my arms around her waist. Tyrone stuck his tongue out at me, making her throw a piece of celery at him, which he actually caught in his mouth. I laughed, nuzzling Eve's neck.

If only we could replay times like these forever...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Fierce's POV}

"Hey, it's Flames and his evil sister!"

I could hardly restrain my heart's hammering. "You know them?!" I demanded.

"Yeah... I think. That's Tyrone and Eve Elsworth, but I think this picture's been touched-up." the guy I was asking said.

Just as fast as it began hammering, my heart stopped.

"When I was younger, some friends and I used to pick on Tyrone... Called him Flames and stuff for his hair, 'cause it's orange. But then one day we met his baby sister— Damn, that little brat was freakin' _terrifying!_ I still have nightmares about that girl!" he continued, handing me the picture back. "Anything else I can help you with?"

I pulled out the picture of Eidolon. "Have you seen him?"

He took it, looking carefully over every detail.

"Yeah... He was at the hospital a while back, but then he got transferred out somewhere else. Something about a punctured lung when he got caught up in a gang-fight, so he was being taken to a more specialized doctor out in the country... Why?"

"Because he vanished randomly from his parents' apartment one day. From the mess left behind, he didn't go willingly. I'm one of the group looking for him. I'd appreciate it if you _told no one_ what I just told you." I said, adding a little growl to my voice.

He yelped, jumping a little. Head snapping around, he said, "Ha-ha, told me? What're you talking about, we _just_ met!"

"Good boy. Toodles." I said in farewell. As I walked away, I took out my phone, punching in Erin's number.

"Find anything?" he asked instantly.

"We're in deep shit. Izaya was right." I told him.

"You're kidding."

"The picture of the kids is a touched-up version of Tyrone and Eve Elsworth."

"Oh, shit!... Eve?"

"That's what the guy said her name was, yeah." It took a moment for that to register. "The freaky perfect-girl-president is Tyrone's baby-sister?!"

"And he's in love with her? Guess so. _Damn_, I can't believe we _fell_ for that! Izaya and Shizuo'll be so _pissed_ off..."

"And he saw Eidolon at the hospital. According to what the guy heard, Eidolon was in a gang-fight, suffering from a punctured lung. He was supposedly transferred to a doctor in the country not too long ago." I threw in.

"... Fierce, I love you."

I smiled proudly.

"Get back to the hotel, I'll round the other three up."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{?'s POV}

I straightened up.

_That_ hadn't lasted long. It'd delayed them one day. I'd have to hope that would be enough.

I looked back to the body lying on my table. He was almost done, exactly like Tyrone's doll in every way.

Tyrone's doll went to the estate tomorrow.

Tomorrow, the original Elsworth Pharmaceuticals laboratory would be destroyed.

If this plan didn't work, everything would go down the drain. Those five _had_ to be delayed long enough for the perfect couple to conceive a child.

From there, _everything_ would proceed smoothly.


	9. Chapter 9

{Eve's POV}

_... Where was everything?_

_Which way is up?_

_Which is down?_

_Everything, everything was dark. I was left floating in what felt like a sphere of nothingness. My feet groped for purchase on something, kicking vaguely. My back was arched, and I felt like I was falling over backwards, arms outstretched for balance that just didn't exist, hair flying around my face._

_Suddenly my foot brushed something._

_I dug my toes into the sandy-feeling ground under them, and was suddenly slammed into a world that existed._

_I fell to my knees with the force of impact, gasping and retching a little._

_Recovering, I looked around, panting._

_Hiroshima? Or Nagasaki? Was that where I was?_

_The place looked like an atom-bomb had just gone off, gray, dusty, crumbled and cloudy. Nothing moved but me... not including the rats, scorpions and cockroaches._

_I stood up, still panting, swallowing a little. Picking a direction at random, I began walking. It wasn't too long before I saw someone ahead of me, head turning back and forth as he walked along. I was shocked to recognize it as Izaya Orihara, Adam's passive parent._

_At about the same time, we both picked up on someone singing._

_I _knew_ how it would end, I'd _watched_ this nightmare... But my feet wouldn't obey, running after Izaya as he ran towards a mountain of corpses._

_But then I tripped._

_My hands instantly came up to catch myself before my face met the ground, but I never stopped tumbling._

_No, not this dark bubble again!_

_I panicked a little, trying to flail about. My hand struck something cold and smooth, and I leant into it._

_I gasped, all the breath forced from my body as I was slammed into a tan linoleum floor. It felt like my ribs were shattered, and stars were exploding before my face. I took a moment to pant and recover before pushing myself up, looking around._

_... _No_..._

_Home. Old home, where we'd lived before Lyell._

_The bloodstained kitchen._

_I stood abruptly up, my hip colliding roughly with the table. I winced, not pausing as I looked around._

_There lay Mother, on her side in the doorway. Her throat was slashed and her stomach cut open, but a rather serene smile rested on her face. I looked around for Winston, but only spotted what looked like a piece of raw meat in a bloody splat on the floor._

_... though it was just his _size_..._

_"Ugh..." I rested one hand against the table, supporting myself on it as I used my other hand to cover up my mouth. I mean... were those... Those weren't..._

_... _Teethmarks_._

_Hearing a wet shredding noise behind me, I spun around. I resisted the urge to scream and gag, keeping my hand in place over my mouth, eyes wide._

_Tyrone._

_I _think_ it was Tyrone._

_It had his hair, but streaks of dark brown ran through it. A pair of fuzzy ears poked out of the tangled mop, and a long tail swished behind it. The lab coat and black clothes it wore were shredded, revealing tanned skin with darker stripes running across it. Hands with long, cruel talons gripped the floor as it crouched over Teresa, using equally cruel fangs to rip into her. Tearing another mouthful of her flesh away, I heard the crunching of bones in it's teeth._

_I couldn't help it._

_I fell to my knees, retching. As I recovered, I saw that it was now looking at me, ears perked forward, green eyes wide and pupils narrowed to slits._

_"What're you doing _here?_" the Tyrone-beast asked, standing up. He wiped a blood-coated hand across his red face, as if that were of any help._

_"I... I _live_ here, Tyrone..." I whispered, staying on my knees._

_"I know. But you're _dead_. I just finished you off in your bedroom." he rasped, pupils widening a fraction. My heart stopped, my body breaking out in a cold sweat. "Aah, well... I guess I get to eat _you_ twice."_

_I could only squeal, lifting my arms up in weak, useless protection to my face and neck as he roared, pouncing. The bloodstained talons sank so far into my arms they came out the other side as I was pushed over backwards._

_I didn't stop falling._

_Back into the abyss._

_I gave up, tears of fear and frustration streaming from my eyes and into the darkness, opening my mouth in a piercing scream._

_"You shouldn't cry."_

_I shivered, straining to see the speaker in the darkness._

_"You're so much better than that."_

_I gasped as warm arms radiating a welcoming golden glow wrapped around me._

_The voice in my head...?_

_"You're so smart. You're beautiful. You're _perfect_, Eve."_

_The arms released me, the gentle hands turning me around to stare at the blinding figure of their owner. A soft chuckle escaped me, and I rubbed the heel of my palm against my eye._

_"You're perfect. Perfect. Perfect." the light-shrouded figure chanted soothingly._

_My breath was coming easier... I was relaxing... Everything would be—_

_I gasped, the choked noise quickly turning into a retch, blood running out of my mouth._

_"I lied." the figure said cheerfully, twisting it's hand in my stomach. I coughed weakly, my hands scrabbling at the smooth, cool surface of their skin as the friendly golden glow turned into an angry red one mottled with shadows. "You're a _failure_. You deserve to _die_. _No_, that would be too _kind_... I'll think of _something_." Even with my rapidly fading vision and the blinding glow, I could tell that it was smiling as it moved it's hand about in my midriff._

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

"Ouch!" I yelped as I was suddenly thumped hard on the head.

Eve was screaming, thrashing about. Before I could do anything, the grotesque feeling of someone plunging something— a sledgehammer made of ice— into my stomach and wiggling it about hit me hard. Fighting the bile I tasted, I tried to not get hit and wake Eve up at the same time.

As my hand brushed against her bare side, she rolled away, falling off the edge of the bed.

"Ah— _Eve!_" I yelled. Since I'd been tangled up in the sheets with her, I'd followed after her as she rolled off the bed, landing nicely on her stomach.

Okay, at least she was awake now.

"What's wrong?!"

And Tyrone and the guards had burst in.

"_OUT!_" Eve and I yelled as we all blushed.

I sighed, waiting until the door shut to look at Eve. Her skin was slick with sweat, her eyes and face glistening with tears. The overall dampness of her body made her glitter in the moonlight seeping in through the window, half of her face cast into shadow.

"A nightmare...?" I asked softly.

With a small whimper, she nodded.

"It's gone now... And it was just a bad dream..." I soothed, standing up. The sheets slipped away from my body, and I shivered a little. Reaching down, I grabbed Eve's hands. I offered to hug her, but she scooped the sheets up, holding them about her body. I watched in confusion as she went to stand at the window. Her eyes looked... both hunted and hard... "Eve?" I asked.

"It was just a dream. Tell Tyrone it was nothing." she ordered sharply.

Umm... Yeah.

Gulping a little, I padded across the carpet and the cold wooden floor to the door. Standing behind it, I opened it enough to stick my head outside. Tyrone and the guards blinked at me. "She had a bad dream. Nothing's wrong." I said softly.

The guards relaxed instantly, but Tyrone's frown deepened. "She hasn't had a nightmare since she was _four_." he rumbled in concern, pushing at the door.

"I'm _FINE!_"

We all jumped as Eve yelled. Nodding, Tyrone and the guards scurried away. I briefly considered following them, but voted to stay in the room since I was in the buff.

"I'm sorry." Eve muttered.

"Huh? What for? Everyone gets shook up over bad dreams." I told her, cautiously moving back to the bed. Where on _earth_ had my pants gone...?

"... Don't tell Tyrone."

About the dream? I, uh... Was she okay?

"No... Adam, lately... I've been seeing things. In my head. Memories of things I _swear_ never ever _happened_. I'm scared, and I don't know how to handle them...! It feels... feels like there're two people in this body now... There's me, and this other person... The person who... I can't tell which I am, the scared one who wants to run away or the one who wants to recreate Eden or die trying! It's all jumbled up and mashed together!"

My eyes widened, and I climbed over the bed as a choked sob escaped her. "Eve..."

"Who am I?! _Who am I?!_" she screamed in harsh confusion, falling against me, her grip going from the sheets to my arms.

I let her sob for a minute, stroking her hair. "Eve. You are Eve. You are my Eve, and I am your Adam. That is how it is and that is how it always will be." I murmured into her ear, holding her tightly.

"... Are we...?"

I didn't know why, but a shiver ran down my back at the ominous question.

We both cried out, falling to our knees. I don't know why she did, but a burst of static had enveloped my mind, scratching and clawing at my sanity.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Tyrone's POV}

I had slunk back to the door after about thirty seconds. Leaning gently against the door, I could hear what they were saying. Waves of confusion crashed over me from Eve.

"... I'm seeing things. In my head. Memories of things I _swear_ never ever _happened_. I'm scared, and I don't know how to handle them...! It feels... feels like there're two people in this body now... There's me, and this other person... The person who... I can't tell which I am, the scared one who wants to run away or the one who wants to recreate Eden or die trying! It's all jumbled up and mashed together!"

Initially, all I could feel was the sting of her telling _him_ and not me.

But...

... She had been rather... _fragile_ lately. Sometimes she'd pull up and shake her head, or frown in confusion. Like there was someone in her head.

"Who am I?! _Who am I?!_" she was screaming raggedly. I could picture her clinging to Adam, staring at him pleadingly as she looked for an answer.

I shivered as I heard her crying. Anger blossomed in my chest... something wasn't right with Eve. I needed to help, but how could I help if she didn't tell me what was wrong?!

"Eve. You are Eve. You are my Eve, and I am your Adam. That is how it is and how it always will be."

... Thanks, Adam... you can make her better. I don't like you, but I need you to make my baby sister better for me. Thanks.

"... Are we...?"

Huh?! What'd she mean by _that?!_

Their twin cries snapped me out of my confused thoughts, and instinct took over. I burst through the door, slamming it open. The two of them were crouched on the ground, clutching at their heads and crying in pain.

I skidded to sit between them, lying them down on the cool floor. I bit my cheek as I felt their heads, checking for fevers. Eve was flushed and slightly warmer than was preferable, but Adam was fine... And, to my amazement, they were... calming down...?

"... _Tyrone_..." Eve sighed, hazy golden eyes settling on me.

Blushing a little, I stood up and left the room, closing the door behind me.

They're called clothes. You should look into them, guys, they're really amazing.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

That was the original Omega Science facility. And since the Elsworths, the family who had apparently run it it's entire existence, had once lived about thirty-two miles away from there, it was undoubtedly where Eidolon was.

I shivered.

Please... Don't let him be brainwashed into thinking we're his enemies...

"Shizuo...?"

"Izaya? Why're you up?" I asked as he slid into the spot next to me.

"Couldn't sleep. I'm scared of what we'll find. I... I almost _don't_ want to find him..." he whispered. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer. "Shizuo... What if..."

"I don't know. Just try not to think about it." I murmured, staring at the moon.

Izaya sighed, leaning on me.

Tomorrow, we would slip in with one of the tours Omega gave of the building. That was the easy part. The hard part was finding a way to get away from the tour and find Eidolon.

I made a soft noise of confusion as I felt Izaya's hand go inside my pocket. I bent my head to watch, and blinked when I saw he was pulling out Eidolon's choker. The silver metal glowed softly in the silvery-blue light of the moon. With a heavy sigh, Izaya rubbed the pad of his thumb over the star.

"It'll be fine. Everything... everything will work out in the end..." I told him, trying to reassure myself as well.


	10. Chapter 10

{Izaya's POV}

A low rumble woke me up. Not the rumble of thunder or an earthquake, but the rumble of something... something blowing up or collapsing.

As I looked around for the cause, I could only cover my mouth and stare.

"Izaya, what's going on?" Erin asked, sitting up, looking sharp and alert.

"Oh god oh god oh god..."

"Oh my god..." Erin gasped as everyone else woke up.

Streams of white-clad people bled into the night as the Omega building collapsed. Even from here, you could hear the screams. With a loud bang, part of the building burst into flames— something must've collapsed on the electrical systems or the like.

"They knew we were coming. They're trying to ward us off." Shizuo said darkly.

That was why I was scared...

"Bets that all the lower levels are completely _untouched_." Fierce muttered.

"Hope you're not putting money on that. When Celty investigated a destroyed lab in Japan, even the lower levels were totaled." I informed him. And I had seen. She had taken me there to search for Eidolon during the first three days.

"We should still investigate. When the fire goes out and everyone leaves." Erin said. "For all we know, they don't know we're here, they're trying to hide something from the local authorities. If we poke around, maybe we can find something that'll get them in trouble and flush out Eve. Besides, now you have me, Fierce and Shizuo. If things are broke or caved in, we can take care of that."

Sure...

Thinking about the first three days, I wondered how long it'd been... Those three... Another three... Several days of searching... Two weeks? Around that long? Was that how long we'd been living without Eidolon?

My hand went into my pocket, clenching around the choker in it.

"Tomorrow. Once everyone's gone. We're gonna go see what we can find. Besides, if OSI's just tryin'a warn us away, surely they wouldn't destroy everything. They'd hope that we'd get scared off and look elsewhere for your darling baby boy—"

"Oi!" Shizuo objected, his cheeks pinking a bit.

"— and then they'd move back in. Just like that." Fierce said with a growl. Celty nodded in agreement. I looked at Shizuo, who shrugged, and Erin, who was watching the building burn grimly. "So let's get back to sleep. We'll need our rest so we can dig."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

"The head of security's here." Tyrone told us, sticking his head into Eve's office.

"Oh. Thank you, Tyrone." Eve murmured. Her voice was dull and blank.

I blinked, looking at her in concern as Tyrone left.

She hadn't told me what these things in my head were. After her outburst last night, I had realized I was suffering from something similar, with the static and these pictures of people I'd never seen before in my life. Memories of running away from someone, getting hit by a car, and a quartet of people in a van...

She'd been so quiet, I was worried...

"Eve." She lifted her head to stare dully at me. I smiled reassuringly, saying, "Whatever's going on, we'll get through it together, right?"

She didn't answer, blinking. But after a moment, she smiled softly, bobbing her head. "Yes... I'm sorry. It's just a little nerve-wracking to always be in control and suddenly find it all slipping away."

"Well, you're a strong, smart, beautiful girl. Why _anything_ would _ever_ leave you is beyond me." I informed her, putting as much finality into my voice as possible.

Giggling a little, she stood up. "Well, should we go meet the head of security, then?"

"Sure." I smiled, glad to have cheered her up.

I tucked my hands behind my head, following her out of the office. I noticed that despite her seemingly cheerful attitude, her step wasn't quite as light as it normally was.

"Eve, honey, I love you." I stated.

"...?"

"But you're driving me nuts with this! You're driving Tyrone nuts with this! We're all worrying and waiting for you to tell us so we can make you better but you _don't!_" I said, grabbing her by the shoulders. She looked startled, jumping a bit, and I got a twinge of a _'GTFO'_ feeling from her. I compliantly let go, but stayed close to her. "Eve... Do you understand...?" I asked softly.

"... Yes... But I don't know if you can make this better... That's why I'm not telling, because I'm so confused about what this is. And— Hey, I told you last night!"

Dammit, she saw through that.

At least it perked her up.

"Well, we shouldn't keep the captain of the guard waiting, should we? Bad manners." I told her with a cheeky smile.

"Race you."

I barely even registered that before realizing she was already halfway to the stairs.

"_OI!_ Get back here!" I yelled in playful mock rage. I took off after her, thundering down the hall. Whereas she kinda ran with swift, long, graceful strides reminiscent of, oh, a gazelle, I just kinda charged like a bull elephant who woke up on the wrong side of the bed. But as she came to the landing and turned right onto one of the flights of stairs, taking them two at a time, I ignored that and jumped over the railing. I landed on the floor with a very loud, ungraceful _THUD_ and a bolt of pain up my right leg. "I, ow, win, ow." I said triumphantly, standing up as Eve stuck her tongue out at me.

"You should be more careful. If it hurts that much, you really shouldn't do that."

... Ow...

The 'ow' wasn't from my leg this time. Looking at this guy, my instant reaction was pretty much fear and ow-ness. I mean, he looked like Eve and Tyrone had spent too much time reading Frankenstein. He was composed of at least two people, cut apart and then stitched together to make one being.

And he seemed vaguely familiar, and not just in a manner reminiscent of the modern Prometheus.

"Eve, Adam, this is Kas—" Tyrone began.

"Mignon. Not KE, Mignon. Please." the patchwork guard said softly. His voice was... different. Two of them, overlapping into a bizarre, garbled mess that was kinda fuzzy and somewhat tricky to understand.

I blinked, suddenly noticing the sling he wore. It wasn't that he was hurt... It was more like the slings you carried babies in. Tilting my head a little, I spotted familiar wavy brown hair.

... The head...? They gave it to him as... a pet of sorts...?

Ah, he caught me staring...

"Nice to meet you, er, Mignon." I said with a bit of a forced smile, offering him my hand.

"Likewise." he said softly, accepting my hand. His grip was so delicate, like he was scared of breaking me... or maybe of me breaking him? I was really strong...

Mignon...? That didn't seem right... Like it wasn't his name, but one he adopted in favor over his old one...

He was bowing slightly to Eve now, and as he took her hand, I noticed it was with the same delicacy he had mine.

... Maybe he just... had a very gentle touch...?

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

"Ow. Careful. Glass." Erin warned, nursing his cut finger and sucking away the blood.

I frowned, hefting the wooden beam over my shoulder. Izaya yelped a little, ducking, and Celty jumped as I knocked her helmet off. "... Sorry..." I muttered.

"Better be...! You almost took my head off! You _took_ Celty's head off!" Izaya half-yelled.

I let the beam fall to the ground in a cloud of dust, throwing up my hands. Fierce yelled after me as I picked my way across the rubble. Reaching the edge of the ruins, I sat down on a portion of destroyed wall. Putting my elbows on my knees, I buried my face in my hands. Behind me, I heard the others arguing. I did my best to ignore them, tuning them out the same way I did Shinra back in high school.

There was this _feeling_, prickling at the base of my neck, the same one that used to tip me off about seeing Izaya shortly before I picked up his scent. Try as I might, I couldn't shake it off. I felt like something was going to go horribly wrong.

"Hup..."

I didn't move as Erin came up beside me. He didn't speak, but I could feel his eyes on me. I could hear Fierce whining about having to do all the work while we cuddled behind us. Izaya then objected that he and Celty were helping the best they could. The wind blew over us, carrying their voices away and chasing away the warm of the sun.

Like a bad omen.

"What do you think is down there?" Erin asked softly.

"... I don't know. Nothing good... A trap, maybe..." I said into my hands.

"Uh, sorry, couldn't hear ya past your hands."

Sighing, I sat up. I didn't answer for a minute, staring at the sky as I tried to swallow the lump in my throat a few times. "... I feel like something awful is gonna happen. He isn't here, but some trap is. This is a setup, but... I don't..."

Erin put a hand on my shoulder. "... you don't wanna crush Izaya, who's all worked up."

Swallowing, I nodded, hanging my head.

"Look. We'll go in, look around for two minutes, and come back out. Nothing major. We'll check, like, three floors and leave. Okay?" Erin offered, smiling softly.

"... Sure..."

"C'mon, I don't know how much longer Celty can hold those two at bay."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{3rd Person POV}

Blue eyes blinked. One rusty red and one honey-like brown turned to look at the owner of the blue.

"They're hesitating. They're in, but they're hesitating." they stated. A wave of their hand had the second relax, sitting back down. "As long as they get past the first floor."

The second didn't respond. Two-colored eyes looked down at hands that didn't match, clenching them into fists and unclenching them. Clench. Unclench. Clench. Unclench. Clench.

"Soon enough. Don't worry, you'll be part of all the action soon, Mignon." the blue-eyed specter reassured with a smile.

The patchwork person growled, frowning. "I _hate_ that name _so fucking_ _much_..." he hissed.

"Once everything comes together, you can pick a new name. But until then, just stay calm..."


	11. Chapter 11

{Izaya's POV}

Untouched.

At a glance, the halls were untouched. But closer inspection revealed dark stains on the walls, chunks missing from the walls and ceiling that now lay about the floor, which had holes in it.

Shizuo shivered, looking nervously about.

"... It's worse than I thought... Look." Erin pointed. A portion of the ceiling had collapsed in, taking part of the floor with it. There was a huge, gaping hole in the floor now.

"Don't go down— _HEY!_" Shizuo objected as Fierce and I ran over and jumped down through the hole.

This hallway was just as bad.

But I doubted it was like this all the way down. We couldn't be so close, just to be so far...!

"Oi, _Izaya!_" Fierce yelled as I took off running.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

No, no, no, no...

I jumped down after them, rolling clumsily as I landed. Getting up, I pounded after Izaya.

We could _not_ go any deeper. We absolutely _could not_ go any further past this floor!

My nightmare involving level sixty-two played feverishly in my head, lingering on Izaya and Eidolon entwined gruesomely on that bed...

"Izaya!" I yelled, skidding around a corner after him.

He was on his way down a flight of stairs.

I vaguely heard everyone else following us as I chased after him. When I finally grabbed him, we were somewhere on the third floor.

"Shizuo! Let me go!" he yelled.

Before I could respond, there was a loud noise above us.

An explosion.

I pulled Izaya closer, and was faintly aware of the other three sheltering him the best they could as well. Plaster, metal, wood and other building-materials rained down on us. I ground my teeth, feeling something gouge a trail down my back. My grip on Izaya tightened, and I felt him bury his face in my chest.

Then it was gone.

"Uff... Is everyone alive...?" Erin coughed, pulling away from us. I was grateful he hadn't said 'okay.'

Because while the ceiling above us had been damaged, yes, it was almost certain that the two floors above us and the remnants of the building were caved in. We were definitely NOT okay.

"I knew it was a trap..." I breathed, standing painfully up.

"Shizuo's alive. From the heaving of Izaya's chest, he's alive. Fierce's alive. Celty's alive. Unless I'm a zombie, I'm alive." Erin sighed when nobody answered him, all of us looking around. I blinked, looking down at Izaya, who was clinging to me still.

"Iza..." I murmured, gently touching his back.

"Shit, Shizuo's bleeding bad..." I heard Fierce say as a cross between a sob and a chuckle wracked Izaya's body.

"So close... We're close..." Izaya said into my chest.

I didn't say anything, running my hand down his back and thinking.

A trap meant we were close. They didn't want us to keep interfering, so they'd laid a trap to either delay or kill us. Probably to kill us, but we'd narrowly escaped... Which meant if we somehow managed to get out of here, we might be able to find Eidolon!

But... If we dug up, everything would come down and crush us. If we tried digging to the side or something, there was no telling where we'd end up.

... We were stuck.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

I stepped lightly over the fallen branch, looking about.

Nothing.

_That_ wasn't right.

Something had very clearly _been_ here. I had seen it, heard it...

Adjusting how the sling sat around my torso, I knelt down and examined the ground. There was nothing. No grass-stems that were crushed, no depressions in the dirt, no...

I shivered.

A fluke? A flaw? Was I losing it?

I needed to talk to Doctor Elsworth...

"Mignon?"

I jumped, on my feet and ready to fight in an instant. Adam jumped with a yelp, throwing his hands up. I stared for a minute, still shivering.

This wasn't a _dream_, was it?!

"Oi, Mignon, you're trembling, and you're really pale... Are you alright?" Adam asked, taking a hesitant step forward.

"... Fine. I'm fine, it's just that something... Something's _off_..." I murmured, adjusting the sling again. My hand slipped into it, stroking Celty's hair.

"Off? Off how?" he inquired, looking around.

"I very distinctly saw someone, heard them as well. But looking around... The grass isn't bent where they had stood. There's nothing in the dirt, even though it's fairly moist and moldable. There are no signs of anyone ever being here, but I _know_ there was." I told him, looking about again. The hand that wasn't entwined in Celty's hair went into my pocket, pulling out my knife, a simple switchblade. "I'm concerned for the safety of your family, Adam. Please, go back to where the others can see you. If there is someone in here, you're a sitting duck standing here talking to me." I advised.

"... Okay... But. Um... Before I go..."

"Yes?"

He opened his mouth, then hesitated and closed it. Looking me dead in the eyes, he swallowed and asked, "Have we met somewhere before?"

I blinked, not answering. My memories only extended back shortly before I was... made whole. And even then, those memories had been damaged, confused.

But even so...

"No, Adam. Not in this life." I told him.

He sighed, looking disappointed for some reason. Vaguely waving, he turned and headed back for the open ground of the estate. I turned away, searching for evidence of this mystery person I'd seen.

... Part of me... had been identical to Adam... Or at least very close...

With a sigh, I put my knife away and took Celty out. I held her in both hands, her soft skin cool compared to my own heated flesh. Her eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted, same as always. There was no movement. None at all, despite the warmth of her skin. But she was real. Alive. Of that, I was fairly certain.

"Mm..."

I blinked, staring at her for a moment.

... I could've sworn...

... Her eyes fluttered _open_ for a moment...?

I watched, waiting. But nothing happened. Same as always.

_Nothing... ever happened..._

... Nothing...

Nothing... happened... Right...?

There had probably never been a 'mystery person,' like I had thought. My mind was most likely just eager for something to happen, and so had dreamed up some false alarm.

Yes. That was it.

Nothing happened.

Nothing at all.

Celty's eyes seemed to flutter again. Swallowing, I gently tucked her back in the sling.

I was losing it. That was the only explanation I could think of. I was losing my mind. I needed to talk to Doctor Elsworth.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

That had been _close_.

He'd almost caught me... I was lucky to have Milady in my head...

I sighed, leaning against the tree behind me and crossing my arms over my chest. This was dull. I wanted in on the action.

Wait wait wait. That was all I _ever_ did. I didn't see why I had to watch him. I was just like him, and Eve was a jabbering mess at the time, so she wouldn't see anything wrong.

I was tired of waiting. Unless something happened soon, I'd just kill him and take his place.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

I sat up with a sharp gasp.

Someone... was in my head again...!


	12. Chapter 12

{Shizuo's POV}

"We only went down to the twentieth level since the elevators are screwed, but it looks like everything's in shitty condition." Erin said grimly.

"Great." I muttered.

We'd been looking for a way out for almost a day now. So far, nothing.

At this rate, we'd have to dig into the sides of the place, and none of us were looking forward to that. Who knew what we might dig into? Electric lines, hence electrocuting ourselves? Water lines, flooding the place and drowning ourselves? A pocket of natural gas, which would poison and kill us? Something else?

... Although if we cut off water or electric lines, someone might find us...

"So, anyone have any bright ideas?" Fierce sighed, sitting wearily down.

**[I know we all agreed it was a bad idea to dig our way out, but that looks like our only choice at the moment.]** Celty 'said.'

"It should be our last resort. OSI should have created alternate exits in case something like this happened. Most places with lots of underground levels do. That way if something like this happens, people can get out." Izaya said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, but Omega's _cuckoo_." I pointed out.

"No, even those a few bananas short of a bunch would know you need alternate exits. Not just for emergencies, but for air, as well. Technology can do a lot, but you still need fresh air." Erin told me.

**[Where would we find these exits?]**

"We-_ell_..." Fierce sighed, standing up again. "I guess we better split up and start searching. Holler if anything happens, nice and loud. Or something."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

Two days.

For two days, Eve had been droopy and upset.

Two days since the meltdown and...

I shook my head, getting up.

Mignon. Where was Mignon, I needed to talk to Mignon.

Eve and Tyrone were family. The guards seemed to get flustered when I spoke to them. Mignon was like that quiet best friend who you really don't know why you like so much. I needed to talk to Mignon.

I poked my head into Eve's office as I walked past. She automatically made a shooing gesture, pouring over what looked like an OSI report with a frown on her face. She was working and nobody was to disturb her.

And there was no Mignon in here.

I blew Eve a quick kiss, earning me a smile, and retreated out.

Okay, so he wasn't with Eve... Was he with Tyrone?

I poked my head into every room I walked past, but they were all E-M-P-T-Y. As I opened one door, though, I saw a filing-cabinet. Nothing extraordinary. There were plenty of those around here. It was the label on one of the drawers.

_'Tokyo Subject— Eidolon.'_

It was written in bold, indigo letters, like a big fat sharpie had been used to write it. As I looked at the label, I felt another of those bursts of static.

I winced, mildly annoyed... I had thought I'd gotten rid of them...

I swallowed, looking at the cabinet again. Pulling my head out of the room, I looked back and forth along the hall. It wasn't like I'd been _told_ to _not_ go in this room, and everyone treated me so damn special... But I felt like there was something in that drawer that Eve and Throne would be very pissed off about if I looked.

Eve's dead husbands?

I snorted a little, slipping into the room. I closed the door behind me with a soft click. I padded across the floor— it was dusty, didn't _anyone_ ever come in here?— and knelt in front of the cabinet. Taking a deep breath, holding it, I pulled the drawer open. It shrieked unhappily, making me wince and look towards the door.

Nobody burst in, yelling at me to close the drawer and stay out of this room...

Slowly letting my breath out, I peered into the drawer.

There was only one sheet of paper in it. Somewhat disappointed, I picked it up and looked over what was written on it.

_'Tokyo parents's perfection ideals: Considerate for others, able to take care of themselves, knowledgeable, not all-knowing, selfless, caring, healthy, physically fit, creative.'_

That was it?

I turned the paper over, then turned it back. I frowned at the words there. They were written in blue ballpoint pen, careful print that looked awfully professional.

... They seemed... so _familiar_...

Like I'd once heard them being spoken, directed at me... A... very long time ago...

"Adam?"

I jumped, the paper slipping from my fingers and into the drawer. I slammed it shut with a harsh, metallic scream of protest and spun around.

"What were you doing?" Tyrone asked with a frown.

"Well, ah, I had been looking for Mignon. He seems so shy and I kinda find him familiar, so I wanted to, to, ah... interact with him. But then I... came in here and saw this drawer... It seemed to ring a bell, but there's... there's nothing that does inside." I bluffed.

"Which draw— Oh, _shit!_" Tyrone swore, eyes wide.

"...?"

"Adam, Mignon just went outside to check the perimeter. He should be near the front gate, 'kay?"

"Yeah... Thanks..." I murmured, climbing to my feet. "... Sorry if it's jammed shut cuz I slammed it so hard..." I told Eve's brother as I walked past him. He seemed really upset, not truly hearing what I was saying...

What was so special about that drawer...?

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Tyrone's POV}

I held my breath, prying open the drawer.

"The hell?! _Where's_ _everything?!_" I demanded.

... At least Adam hadn't seen anything, I suppose...

But who the fuck was rooting through Eve's files?! Who the fuck stole the Eidolon-files?! They weren't planning on giving them to him, were they?!

Damn, damn, _damn!_

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

Adam.

Eidolon.

Why was that drawer labelled 'Eidolon,' if his name was Adam?

Because his name was Eidolon. He had been one of twelve experiments, subjects to create the perfect male hominid. His 'parents'— the two males supplying the missing genes the incomplete body had— were Shizuo Heiwajima from Ikebukuro and Izaya Orihara from Shinjuku. The group, along with the other eleven, had been kept at an OSI base in Greenland. However, when a worker had fried the base's electric systems, the Tokyo trio and the group from NYC had broken free. Only five of the six escaped, the Manhattan passive having been shot as the lot got away. The man responsible for helping them had been killed by Tyrone.

... I was their _nightmare_...

Those files detailed Kasuka-Eidolon, the name I'd been created with, a monster composed of Eidolon and Shizuo's younger brother Kasuka. Kasuka-Eidolon had frequented the trio's nightmares and haunted their minds.

... So were 'Adam' and I related...? I was composed of two clones, one being Kasuka, Shizuo Heiwajima's brother, and the other being Eidolon, the son of Shizuo and Izaya...

I took out the picture in my pocket.

It was of Eidolon, Izaya and Shizuo. The latter two were smiling, talking as they walked through crowded city-streets. The former was asleep, cradled in the tall blonde's arms as he clung to his father's shirt. Around Eidolon's neck was a choker, black velvet with a silver charm that I couldn't quite make out. I'd never seen him wearing anything like that before...

He looked so sweet and innocent, oblivious to the universe while he was like that. 'Adam' was a lovesick _idiot_ who thought I seemed familiar.

Because I was.

I was once his boogeyman, before Eve erased his memories. Now I was a ghost of the past that would tickle his mind every once in a while.

"... What an idiot..." I murmured, just barely touching the picture with my fingertips.

"_OI! _Mignon, wait up!"

I slipped the picture back into my pocket, turning around. "Is something wrong, Adam?" I asked softly as Eidolon approached.

"No, not really. I'm just bored and everyone's busy." he shrugged.

That... _and_ you're subconsciously seeking something familiar to you. Not to Adam, but to Eidolon.

I swallowed, thinking of the file-folders and manilla envelopes now living in my mattress. Should I tell him...? Tell him he's not this idiot, but... someone's missing son?

... Not all at once...

He'd never believe me.

What I needed to do was find out where his parents were.


	13. Chapter 13

{Eve's POV}

"_WHAT?!_" I yelled, slamming my hands onto the desk as I stood up.

"Yeah. All of the Eidolon-files are gone save one piece of paper. Adam got into the drawer, so we're actually lucky on that count... But who the hell would possibly take the files?" Tyrone nodded grimly.

Dammit... I brought one hand up to my face, biting my thumbnail.

Who would?! The guards all knew what they needed to know, and Mignon rarely set foot past the first floor... Could it be that Adam himself had gotten the files? No, that was ridiculous... It had to be someone within the guards...

Tyrone's phone rang. I waved for him to answer it.

"Y'ello... Go on... Uh-huh... What? Exploded?"

I looked at him in confusion. He was broadcasting rather loudly... What was this about the lab being blown up? That was _not_ part of the plan...

"_No_, that was _not_ supposed to happen! Find out what happened! Now!" Tyrone barked, promptly hanging up. He looked gravely to me. "Eve, the lab was blown up. Not just the fire and everything we caused, but an explosion that caved in the first two lower levels."

Something wasn't right...

I ran a hand through my hair, grinding my teeth in frustration.

Everything had been going so smoothly... Why now?! Two days wasn't enough time to tell, and something wasn't sitting right. Combine these... things in my head with the missing files, the explosion we didn't cause, and this person that was continually in my head, and none of that added up properly.

"... We have people working on that now... Right now, our top priority is finding those files!"

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

I blinked, my fingers moving carefully across the keyboard.

"Oi, what're you doing?"

I looked up at Doctor Elsworth. "... I'm not sure... Something isn't sitting right in my mind, so I decided to look a few things up... But nothing adds up..." I murmured, turning my attentions back to the screen before me.

"Uh-huh. Mignon, a bunch of files regarding an important project went missing. We don't know how long ago or who took them. Do you know anything about these files?"

His voice was accusatory...

... His tiger genes... He found my scent in the room and on the drawer...

"I wanted to know who I am. Nobody answers. Damn, that's not right either..." I swore in frustration.

"He cannot know."

"I know." I replied calmly as he came closer.

He lunged forward, grabbing my neck and slamming my skull into the floor. I winced, shuddering a little as pain raced along my spine like a wildfire. Snarling, the green-eyed man leant in closer, his teeth right next to my ear. "You are _replaceable_. Remember that. If you set _one foot_ out of line again, I'll _personally_ dispose of you... I'll _tear_ you into each of your _individual pieces_, leaving your _mind_ intact so that you can _feel_ every _twinge_ of hurt as I _take out your stitching_. Are we clear?" the doctor breathed, his hair tickling my cheek.

"Yes, sir." I replied, remaining motionless under him.

"The files."

"In my mattress. There's a tear in it on the left side, near the footboard. Hidden under the bedspread." I said.

His grip around my neck tightened, and I gasped, arching my back a bit as my hands went to his shoulders, instinctively trying to push him off. "Listen closely, _doll_... I would _love_ to carry out that threat _here and now_... But I won't, because you are, at the moment, important. However, you're going to retrieve those files and deliver them to Eve yourself. What happens next is up to her. You hear me?!"

As he spoke, his grip got tighter. I closed my eyes, nodding. If I wanted to, I could throw him off... But that wasn't my place...

I gasped as he let my throat go. His hand moved to the floor next to my head, and he stayed right on top of me. "So... What were you looking up...?" he hissed as my hands fell away from his shoulders.

"..."

Should I tell him that...?

Snarling impatiently, angrily, he tangled his fingers in my hair. Bringing my head up a little, he forced my skull back down hard against the floor, eliciting a small, pained cry. "I _know_ it's still on the _screen_, but for all _I_ know, you made a hasty _cover-up_ the second I came in the room. So... Shall we do this the _easy_ way or the _hard_ way...?" he hissed, bring my head up again.

"I was researching the Elsworth family!" I cried out as I was forced back into the hardwood floor. Pain lanced out from my skull into every limb of my body, making me shudder and gasp.

Doctor Elsworth blinked a little, sitting back. "Why's that?"

I bit my lip, looking to the side. "... While noticeably violent, Winston Elsworth detested murder... Something seemed a little... strange about your story. It seemed too... _sudden_. I wanted to see if I could put my doubts to rest." I murmured.

It was true, when Doctor Elsworth had told me the story of Eve, their father suddenly becoming murderous was... Far too sudden. Drunk or no, shouldn't there have been at least some warning beforehand?

... Or I was paranoid...

I was probably just overreacting.

Nothing happened. Just like the mystery figure.

_... Nothing... ever... happened..._

"Oi." Doctor Elsworth said, snapping his fingers in front of my face. I jumped, blinking. "Sudden or not, it doesn't change the fact that Winston and Teresa Elsworth are dead. Look all you want, but I doubt it was anything too unusual. Eve had probably repressed his murderous intent with her mind, making it seem sudden."

I nodded.

See? Nothing unusual.

Nothing at all.

"Now go get those files and take them to Eve, got it?" he spat. I nodded, standing up. "Wait... Where's the head?"

_Please don't take her away...!_

"I asked you a question. _Answer_ me."

"... I left her in my room for today..." I murmured, balling up fistfuls of my shirt to hide the shaking of my hands.

"Hmph. Whatever."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

I glowered at Mignon. He didn't meet my gaze, but he didn't radiate fear or discomfort, the way most others did when sent before me like this.

Damn him...! Everything had almost come crashing down because of Adam going into that drawer, but Mignon had already been there! I couldn't stir up enough fury to flat-out kill him because of that tiny little _coincidence!_

"You understand how severe this is?" I growled.

"I wasn't going to tell him."

Either he was telling the truth, or he was a very, very _good_ liar...

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Because your crime prevented a tragedy, I don't think... death is a suitable punishment. Besides, the mess would take hours to clean." I growled.

A voice in my head, towards the back of my mind, was chanting, '_Punish him! Punish him! Punish him!'_

He did deserve punishment.

"Therefore..." I began, making him finally meet my gaze.

I wasn't exactly sure how I did it. Perhaps my anger, concentrated and directed the way it was, had something to do with it.

His eyes widened a notch, and he clapped a hand over his mouth, falling to his knees and retching. Blood trickled from his nose as he shuddered and convulsed, breathing heavily.

My eyes widened as well, and I took a jerky, incomplete step towards him.

_'He deserves it, let him suffer, he deserves it!'_

But I didn't...!

Words continued to come out.

"... I'll let you off with that this time. But if anything else should happen, Tyrone's threat is going to be made a reality, and I will watch and laugh while he does it. Understand?" I finished, swallowing. He nodded weakly, shivering. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion and pain... "Good. Now get out." I ordered, trying to hide the shaking of my own hands.

One hand still over his mouth, Mignon climbed weakly to his feet. Blood from his nose ran over his hand and dripped from there in crimson droplets. Barely picking his feet up as he walked, he left the office, still shuddering and lightly convulsing.

I closed my eyes, hugging myself as I took a deep, shuddering breath. I sat heavily down, trying to figure out what I had just done and why.

"Eve, what the hell just _happened?_ Mignon's sick, or hurt, or... Eve...?"

I didn't respond to Adam as he came closer, a small sob shaking my frame.


	14. Chapter 14

{Izaya's POV}

Okay, Shizuo was right.

Omega was insane. Who built underground bases with only one exit? What happened when everything caved in like this?

"So should we start digging?" Erin asked.

"I'm still worried about doing something like hitting an electric line." Fierce muttered.

"Yeah. We're only on the third floor down, but that's still plenty deep enough to do something dangerous." I agreed. At least there should be enough air in here to last us a while... And the debris above was probably loosely-packed enough that we could get some air from that, but I wasn't counting my chickens yet.

"If we _did_ do something like cut off the power, we may get lucky and have a team of electricians stumble upon us." Shizuo muttered thoughtfully. Celty nodded in agreement, laying a hand on the wall.

"_'May get lucky_' doesn't exactly sound like good probability, though." Fierce said softly, crossing his arms.

"Well, aren't you just a ball of sunshine..." I said under my breath as he and Shizuo began to squabble. Erin and Celty did their best to restrain the two while I stared numbly at the floor.

... We were so close, but we were trapped and liable to die...

... Okay, _Celty_ might not die, but she'd _certainly_ become bored...

My phone rang, making me jump. Everyone fell silent, looking at me. I sighed, saying, "If it's Shinra calling to say '_How's it going?'_ I'm gonna cry," earning a few laughs as I took it out.

It wasn't. It was a text from an unknown number.

I blinked in confusion, opening it up to view the message.

_'Elsworth Estate.'_

That was it. Nothing else, just those two simple words.

"Izaya?" Shizuo asked softly.

"... Elsworth estate. That's it. That's all it says. I don't know the number." I answered, just as softly.

"Could it be like with that fox-guy? Someone's sympathizing with you and dropping a hint?" Fierce asked.

**[Try texting back.]** Celty suggested.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

"Chief, are you _sure_ you're alright?"

Before I could answer, I retched again, shuddering.

"... We'll take that as a no...?"

I managed a pained chuckle. I didn't know what Eve had done, but the effects were rather long lasting... I was dizzy from loss of fluids... Of course I wasn't alright...

I panted, swiping away the string of bile-filled saliva hanging from the corner of my mouth. Picking my head slowly up, I called out, "I-I'm getting better... Just gimme a bit! Go get back to work!"

I could hear them muttering outside the door, hesitating.

Without warning, the phone I'd taken in here vibrated softly in my pocket.

"Chief, what was that?"

I pulled my tongue far back into my mouth, stimulating my sensitive gag-reflex.

"... Are you sure you're alright...?"

"I am replaceable! Adam and Eve are not!" I choked out, retching again.

Slowly, slowly, they left...

I nodded, panting. I resisted the urge to swallow, spitting into the toilet instead. Fairly certain that nobody was listening or trying to peek, I dug the phone out of my pocket...

_'Who are you? Why are you helping? Can we trust you?'_

Ugh... People were so difficult...

Putting one hand over my mouth and breathing through my nose— which stopped bleeding long ago— I typed up a reply:

_'Eidolon/Adam is at Elsworth Estate. Eve's mental condition is compromised. I am suspected.'_

I couldn't tell them too much... For one thing, this wasn't my phone. I'd managed to swipe another guard's cell while he wasn't looking, and would have to dispose of it later. So I didn't have much time before he noticed it was gone...

... And...

... they'd _never_ trust _me_...

I climbed shakily to my feet. Well, it didn't _feel_ like I was gonna keep throwing up... Leaning on the sink-edge, I stared into the mirror. Who on earth would trust _me_ when I looked like the creation of the modern Prometheus? I was created to strike _fear_ into the hearts of strangers, intruders and enemies, not to gain the _trust_ of those that despised me...

The phone vibrated again. I sighed.

_'Who are you?'_

Dammit...

_'An old friend/enemy.'_

I left it at that. That would have to do... I'd have to hope they'd leave it be.

... I had to get rid of this _now_...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

"Hey, if he was showing behavior that threatened to evolve into betrayal, you had no choice, right?" I tried desperately.

We'd been going in this circle for a while now... Me trying to comfort Eve, who was bawling her eyes out about hurting Mignon. She didn't even know what she'd done, just that she'd hurt him.

But we seemed stuck in this circle. Going on repeat.

"B-buh... He... He's always wor-rking so-oh... hard, ah-an... I was so-oh m... mean...!" she hiccuped into her hands as her shoulders shook uncontrollably.

This wasn't like Eve... wasn't like her at all... I was worried...

"Is everything alright?"

I looked up. Mignon stood in the doorway, swaying back and forth a little bit. "Aah... Eve's upset about what she did to you...?" I tried hesitantly.

"I, I-I was too-ooh me-ean... You're-uh all, always working-ing to k-keep us sa-fe an..." Eve sobbed, lifting her head up. Her face was red and puffy, tears soaking her skin and making it shine.

"I'm alright. I'll need to eat a bit and drink a lot of water to make up for what I lost, but I'm fine. I'll be back to work in no time. The punishment was just and I deserved it, so don't feel bad about it, ma'am." the guard said with a mildly wan smile. His gaze lingered on me for a second or two before he left.

_... Huh...?_

Eve's hiccups drew me out of my thoughts. I couldn't tell if she was actually sobbing anymore, but distressed, yes. Her shoulders were definitely shaking enough for that. But if she was sobbing, it was lost under the stream of hiccups flowing from her.

"Alright, no more work for you today. You're going to lie down and rest for a while." I said in the sternest voice I could manage.

"B-buh... I ha-ave wuh-wuh-wor-k..." she sniffled.

"Eve, sweetie, all I'm ever doing while you lot are all working is being a couch-potato. It's your turn to try it out. We're gonna go watch some dumb soap-opera and eat lots of junk food. Upsy-daisy!"

Eve squeaked in surprise as I picked her up bridal-style. "A-Ada-mm!" she objected when I left the office.

"Nope. You're not getting out of this one. Besides, I wanna spend more time with you, but you're always working."

I couldn't tell if her face was red from her sob-fest or if she was blushing now. I smiled, walking carefully down the hall, trying not to jostle her too much. As I walked down the stairs, heading for the great big living room, I saw Mignon standing in the foyer. Again, he seemed to stare for a minute before moving outside into the bright afternoon sun.

Was... Had I done something to earn Mignon's disapproval?

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

No new texts. Meaning they'd gotten the message.

I swallowed, looking around to make sure I was alone. Content that I was, I opened the phone up and snapped it in two. Out of caution, I broke the two pieces further the best I could.

Satisfied that it was broken beyond repair, I moved deeper into the trees, searching for a patch of dirt. The pieces in my hand glistened crimson here and there, and a few red drips few from my skin. I chewed on my lip as I looked around, idly wondering how many of my stitches were being sliced apart by the sharp edges.

Spotting a patch of loamy-looking soil peeking out from under the leaves under a tree, I fell into a crouch, moving Celty's sling so it was at my back. Sweeping the leaves aside, I dug through the solid with my free hand, creating a hole that'd hide the broken phone. Carefully, I dumped the evidence into the earth. Satisfied that nothing was clinging to my skin or worked in between my pieces, I scooped the earth back over the phone, hiding it from sight.

Swallowing, I brushed the leaves back over the dirt, attempting to make it look natural.

I froze at the loud snap. Staying completely still, I waited, listening. My palms began to sweat. But nothing happened. Doctor Elsworth wasn't at my neck. Nobody was yelling accusations.

So I snapped my head around.

Fleeing deeper into the trees was a figure clad in black.

"Hey!" I yelled. In one smooth motion, I sprang out of my crouch and began sprinting after them. Not breaking my stride, I drew two of my knives, switched them open, and threw them. On both counts, I missed. The figure did nothing to retaliate, but the event with Eve came crashing back down on me.

One bottle of water just isn't going to replace the fluids lost after almost an hour of throwing up. But drinking much more than that all at once was a good way to throw up even more.

_Of course..._

I came to a halt, retching.

Naturally, the intruder escaped.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

I wanted to kill him.

I wanted to kill him _so fucking bad_. Kill him and take his place.

But I couldn't. Not yet. Not yet. I had to make sure that they trusted him, but his damn nosy attitude was getting in the way... I had to make sure they trusted him _completely_, learn to be like him...

Of course, I _was_ him! Why was it so goddamn hard to accept that I had to be this sad-eyed, emo _brat_ of a security-captain?!

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{?'s POV}

Mignon was proving to be a dangerous loose cannon. If he tore those two apart before a child was conceived, everything would fall apart.

I frowned, tilting my head back.

Those bimbos at the lab had somehow survived my trap. At least they were stuck for the time being...

Mignon would have to be swapped out soon at this rate. Oh, would he be pleased...

Though it was funny.

I frowned again, twirling a lock of hair around my finger.

... It was almost like Tyrone's doll was developing genuine feelings for Adam...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

Fox? Rabbit? Tyrone? Another worker?

This was driving me nuts.

When we'd tried replying after about half an hour of discussion, Izaya'd said that he'd gotten an error... The phone was unavailable...

... So if it was anyone other than Tyrone, then he'd gotten to them and destroyed their phone...? Or they'd done it of their own accord to hide the evidence...?

We'd given up on looking for exits.

We were digging our way out. Being very very careful about it, but digging our way out...

_Eidolon, we're coming... We're coming... We'll be there soon..._


	15. Chapter 15

{?'s POV}

My eyes opened halfway.

Mignon stood up, reading my discomfort through our bond.

The bond worked similarly to how Eve and Tyrone's did. Only ours was stronger, more two-way. Mignon was more than just a receptacle of my thoughts and emotions. He was a medium.

"Milady?" he asked.

"... They've gotten out... Impossible, only two day's worth of digging and they're out?!" I half-yelled.

"Out?!" Mignon snarled, ready to go fight.

I brought a hand up to my face, my teeth clenching on my thumbnail.

This was bad...

"I need to replace him! I need to replace him _now!_" Mignon yelled.

"Not yet. They've been delayed four days with that trap. It's been about five days since Adam and Eve merged. We just need to stall them a while longer..." I muttered.

"That's _not_ happening! They found out he _wasn't there_, so they're instinctively gonna go to the estate! I need to take that wimp's place now before _everything_ you've worked for falls apart in your hands!" Mignon yelled furiously, heading out the door.

_No._

He gasped, snarled, and strained against my hold on him. I crossed my legs, cupping one cheek in my hand as I watched him struggle futilely. He just did not understand that no meant no, did he?

"I understand perfectly well! But this is a do-or-die situation, don't you think! I gotta go kill that brat!"

"Mignon... Eve was taking pills to increase her fertility. She had her menstrual calendar memorized, and the timing for Adam's want was incredibly convenient, two days before she ovulated. She didn't need to push him in any way. The probability that they conceived is incredibly high. All we need is another week or so. By then, hopefully her hormonal balance will be tipped enough to be able to tell with a blood-test. All we need is a week..."

But... He was right, there was little we could do to stop them now... They'd plow through everything like a sword-stuck bull through tissue-paper...

... However...

Mignon groaned, relaxing. I withdrew my will from his mind, and he nearly fell to his knees.

... This could work to our advantage...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

Something bad was looming on the horizon.

I stared blankly at the sky outside, as if I could wish the world away.

For the past two days, Adam had forbidden me from working. Instead, he and I had spent time together. Watching TV, eating, playing games with Tyrone, talking, walking around the estate... It was the most fun I'd had in ages... I wanted to keep doing it...

But something _bad_ was coming. It was looming on the horizon like a tiger's shoulders protruding from the grass as it stalks helpless antelope. I was the antelope. All I could do was pray that I could outrun the tiger when it sprang.

My mind was full of static. I felt like the world around me wasn't real, like once the static became loud enough it would shatter and what was real would come flooding in. And then I would break. I'd turn to dust and be blown away in the wind, a sticky red powder that smelled of sugar.

I swallowed, hugging myself.

"... A... dam..."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

I stopped.

My head turned to stare at the house.

"What's wrong?" Mignon asked in his soft voice, cradling Celty in his arms.

"Eve." I replied, frowning.

Mignon tucked Celty into her sling, putting a hand on my shoulder as he frowned.

"... I... think she's okay... But something's bugging her. Like some sort of bad omen appeared recently and... H-_hey!_"

Mignon's grip had tightened. His nails were digging into my shoulder, and it kinda hurt... But I couldn't summon up the words to tell him to stop, set on edge by the intense, inscrutable look on his face. "Not everything is what it appears." he said somewhat gravely.

"Not ever... Mignon, are you saying _you_ have something to do with this?!" I accused, jerking away from him.

"No. Just that something big's about to go down."

With that, my patchwork companion left my side, taking Celty back out again. I blinked, watching him speak softly into her hair and kiss her forehead. He was really attached to that head, wasn't he...?

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

Her mental state was compromised, so she couldn't tell what was going on. Not clearly.

But I could only think of one thing that it could be...

I swallowed, burying my face in Celty's silky-soft hair.

"... I'll give you back... It's the right thing to do, right...? She must be going nuts over you moving around so much... I'll miss you... But I need to do it..." I said softly, my voice muffled by her coppery locks.

I didn't know if she could hear me or not, but it made me feel better to tell her things... To speak to her, treat her as a human... To let her know what was going on around her...

Of course, once the body came for the head, I wouldn't have to do that anymore, would I? She'd wake up. She'd speak, see and comprehend the things going on around her all on her own... Like I had never existed...

I squeezed my eyes shut, planting another gentle kiss on her temple.

... Saying goodbye to a friend was tough...

Confident that Eidolon wouldn't see, I took out the picture of him and his parents that I'd kept. Such a happy family... All of this, their world, torn apart by the crazed Elsworth dream. Would it ever be reconstructed, or was it gone?

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

Eidolon was close. Celty had confirmed that her head was in the same direction we were going as well.

We'd been searching for him for close to three weeks... And now he was within our grasp, so to speak.

I growled a little, wondering just how worked over he was... Just how close he was to Eve...


	16. Chapter 16

{Izaya's POV}

Huge.

Elsworth estate was huge.

"Well, they're very _obviously_ a rich family..." Erin muttered, jealousy tinging his voice.

"Yeah. On the upside, it should be easier to sneak into such a huge place. They can't have _that_ many guards." I pointed out.

"Looks like there's a bit of a forest around the back. We should go in through there." Fierce pointed.

Shizuo and I nodded.

We were going to find him... We were going to take him back...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

"_HEY!_" I yelled, hurling a knife towards my target. He flinched, and I missed by a fraction of an inch. I pulled out another knife, watching the group... Could it...

It was.

They spotted me. My eyes widened a little, and I just barely dodged Izaya's knife. Rolling somewhat clumsily to my feet, I took off towards the manor.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

"No no no no no no no no no no no..." I chanted in horror.

"It couldn't be, it couldn't..." Izaya choked, trembling a little bit.

"What? Couldn't be who?" Erin demanded.

"Kuh... Kasuka-Eidolon... A monster that we had nightmares about, a patchwork combination of my brother and Eidolon..." I forced out.

**[Considering how much Eve needs Eidolon, I don't think that was really them. They probably made clones, if what you say about their technology is true.] **Celty soothed.

"Well, he's getting away, probably goin' an' warnin' everybody that we're here, so let's _go!_" Fierce snarled.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

Mignon burst into the office, panting harshly.

"What?" Tyrone demanded crossly.

"Th-them... They're here!" Mignon huffed.

"Who?" I asked as he ran back out. Tyrone became on edge, looking to Eve for something. She nodded fearfully. "Eve, who?!" I demanded.

"Our enemies. Eve's enemies." Tyrone growled as he left the office.

Enemies.

They'd hurt Eve.

"I'm gonna go help." I told her, moving to leave.

"No!" she cried piteously, lunging forward and grabbing my wrist. "They'll know you're my lover and try to hurt you!"

"If I get hurt, you'll be hurt. If you get hurt, I'll be pissed off. So I'm gonna kick their asses and not give them a chance to lay a finger on either of us." I smiled, bringing her hand up to my lips and kissing her knuckles. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Before she could object, I was pulling away and running to help fight.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

I snarled, tossing away the guard. He crashed into a pair of others, and the three went down in a tangled pile of limbs.

"Uff! Hey!" Izaya objected as Erin pushed him to the ground, keeping them safe from the gunfire of one guard.

"I should have known you lot would show up sooner or later."

All of us but Celty growled as Tyrone stepped onto the field, glaring at us with his flashing eyes. Compared to the guards, who were wearing armor of some kind and all had weapons, he seemed naked. He also looked _really_ different, wearing just a white tee and jeans.

We glared at each other for a while, nobody making a sound, nobody moving.

Then Tyrone's lips curled up in a snarl, and hell broke loose again.

I was surprised none of us were shot, with the one guy using his gun. I suppose he was just supposed to intimidate us and keep us from advancing too far...

Suddenly I was holding onto the shoulder of Eidolon.

I gasped, my eyes widening. "Ei—" I began.

His fist crashed into the side of my head. His eyes were burning with hatred as I let go of him, unable to retaliate in any way. "I won't let you hurt her." he snarled furiously, clenching his fists.

"Eve." I guessed.

He lunged, but someone crashed into my side before he could touch me, knocking me to the ground. I froze as I saw that it was Kasuka-Eidolon. "_IZAYA!_" I yelled in warning, knocking him off of me.

Our little group was clearly losing. And now that our nightmare and our son was fighting against us...

Kasuka-Eidolon stood between the two groups. I noticed he had a sling around his torso. He was tense, quivering a little bit. One of his arms snapped up, pointing to Celty. "You..." he rasped, somewhat uncertainly.

"Mignon...?" Eidolon murmured as Kasuka-Eidolon dug something out of the sling.

Celty lunged forward a bit, then stopped herself. Kasuka-Eidolon bit his lip, his grip tightening on the fabric-wrapped bundle. He then tossed it towards Celty. "I don't want it any more!"

Celty's head. That's what that bundle was. They'd given it to him, and now he'd given it to her.

Celty caught the bundle, fumbling with it a bit.

"Oi... So they've worked him over...?" Fierce whispered as our two groups glared at each other.

"We need to regroup." Erin murmured.

None of us responded. As Erin and Fierce turned to leave, Celty followed after them, clutching her head. Izaya and I stayed, staring at Eidolon. He growled, glowering. You could tell that he was itching to take us apart.

"We'll be back, Tyrone." I warned, putting a hand on Izaya's shoulder. "And next time, we're taking what's ours."

"Your graves? Why, yes, you will." the doctor called after us as I led Izaya away.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

"Ugh, they're doing it again!" Fierce groaned after waving a hand in front of my face.

"What do you expect... Our son wants nothing more than to see us dead..." Izaya breathed.

"We've been over this before..." Erin growled in warning.

"... I don't care... I refuse to fight him..." Izaya continued. I nodded in agreement.

"Then _we_ will! You two just take care of Tiger and Frankenstein, got it?!" Erin roared.

"No." I muttered.

Erin snarled in frustration, stalking away into the shadows. Fierce groaned, stomping over to sit next to Celty.

Izaya was holding Eidolon's choker in his hand. I closed my hand over his, sighing.

Celty had hers. Really, if she wanted to, she could go back to Ikebukuro, back to Shinra...

"... We should give up... He's not coming back..." Izaya said with a shudder.

"One more time... Tomorrow, we'll try one more time..." I mumbled, gently squeezing his hand.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

Mignon was out back, sitting next to the firepit. His knees were pulled up to his chest, his chin resting on them as he hugged himself. The crackling flames in the firepit painted him a mellow orange as he stared dully into them. I could see that he'd thrown the sling into the fire.

I walked quietly over. He didn't move as I sat next to him.

It was kinda nippy out, but the fire radiated a comforting warmth. I looked at the flames, then up at the sky. Smoke curled away from the blaze and into the indigo sky. The moon glowed weakly, it's watery silver light almost hidden behind the clouds that were drifting across the sky and obscuring the stars. I blinked, looking back at Mignon.

He looked a little... lost.

"Who were those guys?" I asked, breaking our silence.

"Shizuo Heiwajima and Izaya Orihara. The two live together in Shinjuku. Celty Sturluson... She lives with a doctor in Ikebukuro, and is good friends with them. Erin and Fierce, from New York City. They're friends of Izaya and Shizuo's." he replied quietly.

"Celty? The head's body? Is that why you gave it to them?" I asked.

"... Who am I to oppose what she wants...? Celty sought her head for twenty long years... I don't have any right to have kept it from her..."

I laid a hand on Mignon's shoulder. He had considered that head his best friend... It must've taken a lot to give it up...

"What did they mean, they'd come back for what's theirs?" I asked, trying to take his mind off of Celty.

He shrugged.

"... Liar..." I murmured.

Mignon didn't respond, still staring blankly into the flames. I noticed they were beginning to die. "Should I put some more wood on or something?" I offered.

"No. Let them burn out." he replied quietly.

I watched as the last scraps of fabric turned into ash and smoke. As they did, Mignon sighed, rocking back to stare at the smoke flying away to the sky. I blinked, focusing on the bluish core of the flames.

"... Adam."

"Mm."

"If I did something really _stupid_, what would you do?"

"Are you referring to the incident with Eve?" I questioned.

"Exactly."

"... I'd probably help Tyrone kill you. I won't let anyone hurt Eve. I'd rather die than see her suffer." I replied.

"I thought so. But what if your love for her... turned out to be a _lie?_"

"What does that mean?"

He didn't answer, gazing at the moon with a face that I could only describe as dead, illuminated by the dying flames before us.


	17. Chapter 17

{Izaya's POV}

If it didn't work now, it wouldn't.

Of course, Shizuo had said that we'd be back today, so everyone knew. Because of this, we approached from the front today. Calmly, like those going in for negotiations.

Because in a way, we were.

The guards at the gate pointed their weapons at us as we approached. Kasuka-Eidolon stood with them, watching us with half-closed eyes. His gaze flickered towards Celty, who held her slumbering head under one arm, but he looked mostly at us. Silently, he jerked his head, telling us to follow.

"Sir!" one of the guards objected.

So he was in charge of the guards, huh...?

"Their intent is not to fight, but to talk. Let them in." Kasuka-Eidolon said quietly, moving away.

Reluctantly, the guards obeyed.

We walked behind KE, surrounded by the guards. It was so reminiscent of our times at Omega that I almost laughed. I could tell that Shizuo was thinking similar thoughts. Swallowing a little, I laced my fingers through his. Silently, he nodded, giving my hand a squeeze.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

"You let them in?!" Tyrone roared.

"They want to speak with the three of you." Mignon replied calmly, nodding.

"You little shit!" Tyrone spat.

I looked at Eve. She was standing at the window, looking down into the yard. "Eve?" I asked, trying to ignore Mignon's gasp as Tyrone slammed him against the wall.

"... We'll meet them. Only for a few minutes, but we'll speak with them." she said decisively.

Tyrone growled from where he had Mignon pinned to the wall. Hissing, he let the guard go, shoving him in the direction of the door. He then began pacing back and forth, snarling incoherently. As Mignon left, I saw a bruise forming on his left temple.

Eve swallowed. She radiated nervousness. I moved closer to her, wrapping my arms around her. She did the same, holding me tightly. I could feel Tyrone watching us, his green gaze burning into the back of my neck.

"I guess we better go say hi." I murmured into Eve's dark gold hair.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

I glowered at the five, holding Eve's hand. I noticed that the two in the front held hands similarly.

"What do _you_ want?" Tyrone growled.

"I believe Shizu-chan told you yesterday. We came for what's ours." said the black-haired man.

"Your graves." Tyrone replied.

"Ha-ha, _very_ funny, Doc." scoffed one of the two bringing up the rear.

"That is all of yours that we have to give you." Eve said coldly.

"Bitch!" spat the blonde, grinding his teeth furiously.

"Call her that again and I'll tear your throat out." I warned, pulling Eve closer.

"... Eidolon..." the first speaker, the guy with black hair, said sadly.

A burst of static flashed across my mind. I clenched my teeth, ignoring it. "My name is Adam." I growled.

"Tyrone. Eve. We came for our son." the blonde said loudly.

"And who would that be?" Eve asked. I noticed Mignon cringing a little.

"Cute. Really cute. Give the boy back, demon." another one said. I growled possessively and furiously.

"I don't know who you mean, and I must request that you leave, as you're starting to annoy." Eve told them.

"_YOU FUCKING BITCH!_"

"Shizuo!"

I grabbed a knife from Eve, running to meet the blonde.

"_NO!_" three voices yelled at once.

I drove the knife up.

_Shlik._

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

**A/N: Gasp!**

**Dun-dun-dun! Who's dying?!**


	18. Chapter 18

{Izaya's POV}

Drops of crimson ran down the fine silver blade and fell to the ground.

Shizuo backed away, eyes wide. Eidolon got to his feet and stepped away, eyes just as wide as Shizuo's. Hurt, betrayal and confusion glistened there.

"You... little _fuck_..." Tyrone accused.

Kasuka-Eidolon coughed, swaying back and forth, delicate fingers going to touch the knife in his side. His head was bowed, and he breathed heavily. He wasn't facing us, meaning he'd been trying to stop Eidolon. _He'd been protecting Shizuo._

"Mig... non... Why the fuck did you _do_ that?!" Eidolon screamed.

The victim didn't answer, coughing, swaying even more.

"We should've disposed of you the second you took action on your own." Eve said coldly.

As Kasuka-Eidolon fell back, Shizuo lunged forward and caught him. I moved forward as well, helping him with the shuddering, bleeding male. His eyes lingered on us as he coughed. "S... Sorry..." he gasped.

_An old friend. An old enemy._

Shizuo and I came to the same conclusion at once.

I stood up, aware of all the guns pointing at us.

"You little bitch. Whoever _that_ is standing next to you, he isn't Eidolon Heiwajima. You can keep him." I said, my voice dripping with venom.

Eve's eyes widened as she tilted her head to the side.

I took the choker out of my pocket. Eidolon— no, _Adam_ blinked, looking confused. "Our son is dead. If you would do us the favor of burying this?"

It bounced off of Adam's shoulder as I threw it. His gaze flickered to the gleaming silver charm on the ground for a second before resuming his glaring at us.

"Izaya?" Erin questioned uncertainly as Shizuo stood up, Kasuka-Eidolon limp in his arms.

"Let's go." Shizuo said curtly.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

"Our son is dead. If you would do us the favor of burying this?"

I watched the accessory tumble to the ground, then looked back at the group before us. I kept my gaze furious and hateful despite the static buzzing in my head.

"Izaya?"

The blonde stood, Mignon's body hanging limply from his arms. "Let's go." he ordered, turning and walking away. The raven followed after him. A tad more hesitantly, the other three left as well, though one paused, turning back.

He raised one arm, pointing at me. "They went through _hell_ for _you_. When _I_ go back myself, I hope to see _you_ there, because I'm gonna _fucking kill_ you a _thousand times over_, you sonova _bitch_." he called. With that farewell lingering on the air, he turned to follow them.

I continued to glare after them as their forms slowly disappeared from my sight. Once they were well-enough gone in my opinion, I looked back to the choker on the ground. The silver pentagram glinted almost hopefully up at me.

As everyone else dispersed, my gaze traveled to the red drips on the ground.

"... Why the fuck would you side with our enemies...?" I asked, remembering his question last night. Stupid didn't _begin_ to describe what he'd just done. Swallowing, I knelt down and picked the necklace up. As I did, the static seemed to break momentarily. "Bury it? Why not _burn_ it?" I muttered as if I didn't care, shoving it in my pocket and turning to go back inside. Eve was waiting for me at the door.

"Everything alright?" she asked.

"Me? Yep. You? You seem kinda... Well, kinda shaken. Are you alright?" I replied, brushing her bangs away from her eyes. In response, she fell against me.

"... I love you..."

I blinked, slowly wrapping my arms around her. "I love you too." I murmured, giving her a squeeze.

The static in my mind persisted.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

"Don't take the knife out, he'll bleed more." Erin warned as Celty gently touched the blade.

"Oi, you. You alive?" I asked Kasuka-Eidolon, trying not to jostle him too much as I walked. We were trying to move fast, to get to the nearby town and find a doctor.

I didn't get a response, but he shuddered in a rather comforting way. Comforting in the way that he was still alive, not comforting that he was in pain and suffering while he bled to death.

"He's alive, stop trying to get him to talk. Talking will only make it worse, he needs to preserve his energy and concentrate on staying alive." Erin told me.

"Why're we even dragging him around if he's your nightmare? Shouldn't you be snapping his neck?" Fierce demanded.

"Dimwit." Izaya muttered, leaving it at that. Fierce rolled his eyes.

We were moving along the side of the unpaved road, trying to move fast enough that we could save Kasuka-Eidolon, but I don't think we were going to make it... He was gonna die here in my arms... I grit my teeth, just barely tightening my grip on him.

The warmth of the sun didn't seem to reach us, only the measure of distance using the shadows of trees we passed under...

Would we make it in time to save him?

He shuddered again, coughing. Flecks of red spattered his chest.

I swallowed, moving faster.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

... _Ow_...

I was awake, but I kept my eyes closed.

Where was I?

The air was cool. I could hear the humming of an air conditioner somewhere above and to the right of me. I was laid out on a table of some sort, covered in paper that crinkled if I moved. It sounded like there was a group of people outside whatever room I was in, talking. Listening, I could hear other people moving outside as well. My side hurt... Eidolon's knife...

Slowly, I opened my eyes. Everything was fuzzy... I groaned a little, my hands going up yo my eyes. I rubbed the heels of my palms against my eyes, wincing at the pain in my side. As I lowered my hands, the bright fluorescent light above me made me close my eyes, hissing softly.

Sensing someone standing silently over me, I cracked my eyes open.

"... Celty..." I mumbled, vaguely making out the cat-eared helmet above me. She nodded, one hand touching my forehead. I sighed, closing my eyes.

Celty nudged me, making me open them a third time. **[Are you alright?]**

"... In what sense?" I replied, my voice a dry whisper.

**[Does it feel like you won't live?]**

I considered the question, swallowing a little. "I'll pull through." I said at length. She nodded again, obviously relieved. I sighed, not entirely sure what was going on.

**[What's wrong?]**

I just blinked up at the phone above me.

**[What's wrong?]**

... _I_...

"So you're awake now, hm?"

I moved clumsily to prop myself up on my elbows, pain splitting my side open like an overripe watermelon thrown to the floor. I winced a bit, an almost inaudible whimper slipping past my lips.

"Yeah, it's gonna hurt. But you're a very lucky person," the doctor in the doorway nodded, "Due to your... _unusual_ structure, no vitals were hit, no major arteries were too badly damaged... Essentially, nothing permanently crippling happened."

"Ah." I breathed. Part of it was a reply to him. The second was pain in my side. The third part was awareness of everyone outside the door staring at me.

"So, how do you feel?" the doctor continued as Celty helped me into a sitting position.

"Like a mango that's definitely way too ripe and just fell to the ground from thirty feet..." I coughed weakly.

The doctor laughed. "Well, I believe two of this lot wanted to speak to you. Are you feeling well enough for conversation?"

I looked at the floor. Slowly, I shrugged. "... I... guess so..." I mumbled.

So he shooed Celty away, and the two New Yorkers were ushered away as well. Shizuo and Izaya stepped into the room, closing the door behind them. I watched from behind my bangs, keeping my head bowed. Shizuo stood before me. Izaya sat on the table behind me. None of us spoke. With the door closed, everything suddenly seemed painfully quiet, the only noises being the air conditioner, the clock on the wall, and our breathing.

It was Shizuo who broke the silence.

"What's your name?" he asked softly, his voice rather husky.

"... Mignon..." I murmured.

"Did you pick it?" Izaya asked from behind me, his voice monotone.

"Mm-hm." I answered, giving a slight jerk of my head as well.

Then our silence resumed. I closed my eyes, keeping my head down. I didn't want to look at them. I didn't want to see the expressions they were most certainly looking at me with.

"Why did you come between us?" Shizuo demanded at length.

I cringed a little. "... I..." I trailed off, unable to come up with an actual reason. It'd just... _happened_.

"Alright. Why were you helping us in general?" Izaya tried, his voice still emotionless.

"... I... found the files on him. Tearing a family apart the way they did didn't seem... humane. I wanted... I wanted to fix it..." I said softly.

They didn't reply, so I took advantage of their silence to ask a question of my own:

"Why did you save me?"

They didn't answer. I picked my head up a bit. Shizuo had his arms crossed over his chest, shoulders tense as he stared at the wall behind me. Swallowing, I let my head drop again.

"You're a lot like Eidolon."

I blinked, confused by Izaya's statement.

"You were made rather than born, and you've been handled roughly for almost your whole life. You were fulfilling a purpose you didn't want to while you looked for a way out, even though you knew... you would, more than likely, end up dead... Just like he was."

I swallowed, confused as to how on _earth_ they'd made these connections. "But... I'm..." I began weakly.

"No. You look like it, but you're not them."

I couldn't tell where this was—

"And anyway. It'd be cruel to leave you in their care."

My eyes widened, and a strangled gasp escaped my throat. I didn't move, a deer in the headlights as strong arms wrapped around me. Shizuo pulled me close, one hand on the back of my head while his other arm settled firmly about my ribcage. I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing... But as Izaya suddenly joined the protective embrace, I couldn't keep anything in check anymore. I closed my eyes, biting my lip as Shizuo ran his fingers through my tangled hair.

"... I... _failed_..." I murmured into the blonde's chest. I had tried to make Eidolon remember... I had tried to fix things, only to make them _worse_...

"Listen. That _puppet_ may look like Eidolon, but it is most definitely _not_. Eidolon would _never_ hurt _anything_. Eidolon was rarely aggressive. That. That wasn't Eidolon." Izaya said sternly, as if reading my thoughts.

I didn't answer, the thudding of Shizuo's heart loud in my ear. Their warmth was calming, in a way... And I suppose...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

**A/N: Aren't I a sweetheart?**

**So, do you like their new baby? I need opinions. Just like last story, I want opinions on how things happen. How's Eidolon gonna break free from Eve's hold, people? What's gonna happen?**

**Another thing I need opinions on is Mignon getting to know people and crap once they get to Ikebukuro! Do they follow the same guidelines they had for Eidolon, or does everything kinda play out by ear?**

**As you can see, I NEED REVIEWS, PEOPLE! SO, PLEASE! USE THAT CUTE WHITE BOX DOWN THERE TO GIVE ME FEEDBACK!**

**By the way, I picked out names. Lariat and Moss, for those who are curious. Lariat is the girl-name, Moss is the boy-name. My girlfriend said that these are the names she wants our babies to have if we ever have any.**


	19. Chapter 19

{?'s POV}

"See? I told you everything would work out." I smiled.

Mignon growled, stabbing the knife he held repeatedly into the table. I tilted my head curiously. He had his hand spread on the table, driving the knife into the spaces between his fingers. While fast and somewhat clumsy, he had a definite rhythm to it.

I chuckled, shaking my head. Was he really so bored as to resort to something so immature?

"It's not immature, just idiotic. And it's all I've got in the means of entertainment." Mignon grumbled, clipping his ring finger a little. Despite the minor infliction, he kept going, the knife thunking into the table again and again and again and again...

"Don't worry, Mignon... Things'll get exciting once the child comes along."

"We still don't know if they actually conceived or not. It may be years before they do." he huffed, looking up briefly. A cut on his thumb appeared.

"Don't worry. Things can still work out. You can still get in on the action." I purred.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Izaya's POV}

"He's awfully cute when he's asleep..." Erin smiled, reaching over the back of his seat to poke Mignon's forehead. Mignon mumbled something that sounded like '_Stoppit_,' swatting vaguely at the offender as he screwed his eyes up in a rather fretful expression.

"Okay, ha-ha. Leave him be." Shizuo ordered, shifting slightly under Mignon.

The hard part had been getting Mignon and Celty— both parts— on the plane with no questions asked. Not no questions, but not a terrible amount. But we'd managed.

With his wound still healing and looking pretty nasty— the knife had twisted a bit in his side while we were taking him to the doctor— Mignon had become exhausted quickly. But he was stubborn, and had stayed awake for an awfully long time. Especially for a person who was supposed to be getting lots of rest.

But he was asleep now. And he _was_ undeniably _cute_ while he was.

Unlike Eidolon, he wasn't the sort who curled up when they were sleeping. He sort of... sort of fell limp, like a ragdoll cat when you pick it up. He had slumped to the side, so he was resting on Shizu-chan. His entire body was utterly relaxed, not even a hint of tension obvious in his form. His head was drooping forward slightly, so his bangs covered his eyes. However, between the clumps of his hair, you could see his eyes occasionally twitching under his closed lids, a response to whatever dream he was having. His mouth was slightly open in a way that Eidolon's never was. Eidolon's lips might've parted on occasion, but his teeth were normally shut. Mignon's mouth was actually slightly open, revealing the pink inside of his mouth as he slept. From time to time, his fingers would move a little bit, or he'd sigh.

Cute and serene.

I smiled a bit, going back to my examination of his knives. Like mine, they were switchblades, but his were lighter and simpler than mine. They were perfectly balanced for throwing, and if you did it just right, you could put a bit of a spin on these that you couldn't quite achieve with mine. However, mine were also a lot sturdier compared to these. Still, a fairly good choice. I found the way he held them with just the tips of his fingers odd and somewhat hazardous, but it seemed to have worked for him.

"Are you sure about giving up this easily, though?" Fierce asked, looking back at us from next to Erin.

"_That_ was no longer Eidolon. _That_ was someone else." I replied flatly.

"... This one's going to feel like he needs to fill in the shoes of what isn't there. He'll think everyone's looking at him and expecting him to be Eidolon." Erin warned, daringly reaching out to poke Mignon again. Shizuo slapped his hand away with a warning growl.

"He is similar to Eidolon in several ways. But he doesn't have to be Eidolon. It's just fine that he's Mignon." he then murmured, shifting again so that he could wrap an arm around Mignon's shoulders.

"When this problem arises, we'll take care of it. We'll work through it together." I agreed.

After all, that was what families did. They worked through problems together.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Erin's POV}

He was a bit like Eidolon. Not nearly as much as they said, but there were similarities.

Idiots.

You didn't really mean for him to bury it. You were subconsciously trying to see if that choker would make him remember. Maybe he was still holding onto it, confused by the twinge of familiarity it held. Maybe he'd buried it under the roses. Who knew.

... If that boy did eventually remember and came looking for you, I sincerely hoped that you didn't push him away...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

"Hey, you."

"Nn..." I blinked awake, sitting up.

"We'll be landing soon." Izaya said with a smile.

I blinked, looking over Shizuo and out the window. But it was a bit overcast, so I couldn't see much. "Okay." I nodded.

I looked down at my feet. Erin and Fierce had been dropped off in New York a few hours ago. Izaya and Shizuo had woken me up to say goodbye. Then I'd fallen back asleep... But it wasn't like I'd been dreaming. More of thinking. Everyone was bound to look at me with _THAT_ expression. Fear, disgust, confusion, and disappointment... And besides that, they'd all be expecting me to be someone else...

"Eh? What's up?" Izaya asked. I looked up in confusion. Celty was handing him her phone, which he passed to me. "She wanted you to read this...?"

I blinked, then looked down at the message in my hands.

**[I don't really think I need my head any more. You seem attached to it, so I don't mind you keeping it as long as you take good care of it.]**

I didn't respond for a minute, then smiled, handing it back to her. "Thank you, Celty... Did you get what you wanted from it?" I asked.

**[No... I think we've grown too far apart, because it didn't wake up when I had it. But I really don't care too much any more.]**

"You sure?" She nodded in response. I smiled a bit, then dropped my gaze back to my feet.

"Is something wrong?" Shizuo asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"... Nervous, I guess..." I mumbled. "I mean... I've been around people before. But they all have that same look on their faces. I'm a revolting monster to them."

"Well, looks are quickly changed once they get to know you. Anything like _saying_ that, Shizu-chan's not going to exactly let them live. Not in one piece, anyway." Izaya grinned broadly.

I smiled weakly, nodding.

I just wanted to be accepted was all... And not as just a tool, like I was to the Elsworths.


	20. Chapter 20

{Mignon's POV}

I blinked as Celty went down under a guy in glasses.

... The doctor she lived with...?

I cradled her head against my chest, rocking back on my heels. Izaya chuckled, watching Celty abuse the brunette in response to his affections with sadistic amusement. Shizuo casually found something of interest in the dented soda-can under the bench near us.

The doctor suddenly noticed me.

"Eh? Who's this? Where's Eidolon?" he asked, looking around in confusion.

I kept my face blank, though inside I was cringing.

"Eidolon is dead. You're still not allowed to be left alone with him for more than five seconds." Shizuo said sternly, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Mm, but Mignon's more capable, let's give him ten." Izaya hummed.

I blinked in confusion, looking between them.

"Whaaat?! Don't you _trust_ me?!" the brunette wailed indignantly.

"No." replied the duo on either side of me.

"What'm I missing...?" I asked.

"Shinra's a doctor obsessed with cutting things up to study them." Izaya explained, nudging me forward and prompting me to walk.

I didn't answer, suddenly understanding.

"So, wait up, what's going on? Who exactly is this Mignon?" Shinra asked, darting in front of us to walk along backwards. Celty joined him, showing him her PDA. "Ohh... I guess that makes sense...? How was it done?"

He was referring to the process used to make me, at a guess.

"A clone of both Kasuka and Eidolon Heiwajima was created. We were told that we were supposed to become one being, and trained to move, think, speak and overall perform perfectly in-sync with each other. Once Doctor Elsworth deemed that we'd done so enough, we were both put under and... this happened. As a result of the training, I already rarely thought of myself as two people." I explained when he looked back at me.

"Aah, man! I'd just love to take a look at you!" Shinra exclaimed wistfully.

"_Never_." "Try it and you'll be in _Egypt_."

"Okay, so where does Celty's head play in?"

"Tyrone gave it to him as a companion when he was still the two separate people. He grew rather attached fairly quick." Izaya replied for me.

"So, what're your plans?"

Shinra was a talkative one, wasn't he...? We were stopped at a crosswalk, and I could feel everybody around us staring at me. As if sensing my discomfort, Shizuo looked around with a glower and a growl. The sensation of being stared at quickly vanished. A momentary smile flitted across my face, and I tilted my head to the side, just touching his arm, in a show of gratitude. I got the feeling he was smiling as he ruffled my hair a bit.

"I'm waiting for an answer. What're your plans?" Shinra prompted curiously as the light changed.

"Mignon's lived in the real world— sorta— more than Eidolon had. Do we really need to make that many plans?" Shizuo answered gruffly as I adjusted my grip on Celty's head. I was aware of people staring at me because of it rather than me, but it was easy enough to say she was just a doll-head. Not that I didn't find that idea rude and distasteful.

"People are gonna ask questions. Excuse my bluntness, but Mignon's a bit of an attention-catcher. People'll wanna know who he is, where he came from, why he looks the way he does, and why he carries a severed head around." Shinra said in reply, his voice serious.

"Shinra. We live in a city where vending machines fly, there's a motorcyclist with no head and the ability to control shadows, several color-gangs are at odds, a demonic sword recently possessed half the citizens, and there's an 'invisible' gang that's supposedly composed of _cannibals_. Mignon's not going to raise any more questions than that. Besides, take into consideration who his parents are for a minute." Izaya said calmly, drawing even with and clapping the shoulder of the doctor.

...'_Parents_.'

I was still uncomfortable with that term. Yes, it was me who recognized the blood-relationship first, but that didn't mean I was automatically comfortable with it.

I suppose it'd come with time.

"Hm. We will, however, need to go shopping tomorrow..." Izaya said thoughtfully.

"What for?" Shizuo demanded.

"... Teenage belongings...?" I murmured, guessing.

"Exactly!" Izaya smiled, skipping ahead.

Shinra shook his head. "Whatever. Well, we'd better get going. Nice meeting you, Mignon!" he smiled, suddenly grabbing Celty's arm and tugging her away.

"Yeah... Seeya." I nodded.

"He means well, but he can be a bit of a motormouth and a nosy brat at times." Shizuo told me as the two of them became lost in the crowds.

"How long have you known him?" I asked as Shizuo turned left.

"Elementary school. Hasn't changed a bit since then." he replied with a chuckle.

I bowed my head a bit.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

I stopped looking up at Shizuo. His golden eyes looked at me with concern from behind his sunglasses. "... Are you sure?" I asked.

What I meant, even _I'm_ not certain.

But I suppose my message got through.

"Of course. Why wouldn't we be?" he smiled.

Comforted by that, I smiled a bit again, following after him as he mentioned catching Izaya.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

"Mignon, come here!" Izaya called.

I stood up, moving into the room his voice was coming from. As I did, I felt my heart stop, then resume with a sad, plodding pace.

It was Eidolon's room.

I really was just a replacement, wasn't I...?

"Aah... I know it looks bad, but it's not what you think." the raven assured me. I blinked, not responding. "This apartment comes with two guest-rooms. The other's yours. But you've been wearing those same clothes for a while, and we haven't gotten you anything. Can't until tomorrow. You and Eidolon are close to the same size— you're bigger, yes, but he hated tight clothing and always wore stuff too big for him. So until we can get you some stuff of your own..."

"He still does. Said it restricts his movement too much and pinches him too much." I said softly before actually thinking.

A soft, pained expression came onto Izaya's face.

"... Sorry..." I murmured.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. Anyway, here. These should fit you when we go out tomorrow to get you something of your own."

I nodded, reaching out to accept the clothes. "Thanks..." I said softly, eyes downcast.

Izaya tilted his head to the side as I hesitated. Smiling a bit, he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me. I closed my eyes, burying my face in his shoulder.

I was used to people, yes... But being _intimate_ with them like this was _different_.

... I kinda liked it...


	21. Chapter 21

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

_I couldn't find it._

_I cast about the destroyed apartment frantically._

_... What exactly was I looking for?_

_I paused, biting my lip. I didn't even know where I was. I didn't recognize this apartment. Why was I so frantic to find something here in it?_

_There was a huge window replacing one of the walls, but it was shattered. I swallowed nervously, picking my way over the things on the floor to the hole in the wall._

_I swallowed nervously._

_The city outside was deserted. A few buildings were crushed, and the sky was a stormy, cloudy, gray. A few beams of angry red light shone through the thick, wicked clouds. Their light illuminated the desolate city, and glimmered across the sea of red filling the streets. I swallowed, fighting against the bile rising in my throat._

_How had I _not_ noticed the powerful coppery scent earlier?_

_One thought flew across my mind, making me shudder._

_Whatever it was I was looking for, it was down there somewhere. I had to wade through that sea of blood and find it._

_Please please _please_, let me find it _fast_..._

_Beginning it pant in fear and nervousness, I looked back around the apartment. Please... Something, somewhere, jump out at me, scream that I'd found it..._

_On the desk near the window, something kinda did. A photo in a frame, the glass of the simple frame cracked and broken. Curiously, I moved over to the desk and picked it up. It was a portrait of three people. Their faces had been crossed out, large, jagged Xs torn into it. Because of that, I couldn't recognize them, though I could vaguely make out black, brunette and blonde hair._

_Them._

_I needed to find them._

_They knew where it was. They could help me._

_I carefully removed the picture from the frame, tucking it into my pocket. Swallowing, I turned back to the shattered window and the rivers of blood swamping the streets. Shuddering as I gathered up my courage, I jumped. It was only the fourth floor, and I was pretty tough..._

_I landed in the sea with a sticky-sounding splash. Sloshing, more of, with a spray of crimson going up around me. I shuddered again, wanting to throw up badly as the sticky, fluid warmth surrounded my legs, reaching three-quarters of the way up my thighs. I picked one foot up. My leg emerged from the blood with a slurping noise. Grimacing, I began walking._

_The noises and the smell were worse than the feeling of walking through this. The blood lapped at buildings, trees and other things with small sloshes. I moved through it with slurps, squelches and gurgles. It stank of copper, acid and death. Accompanying it was some underlying scent I just couldn't place that was sickening. Repulsive._

_I moved with one hand over my mouth and nose, breathing in through my mouth and out through my nose, trying to fight off that stench. But try as I might, it just didn't work._

_Eventually, a noise other than the horrid sea— the ocean of death, I thought bitterly— reached me. The shrill screaming of metal on stone, curdling my blood and setting my teeth on edge... I stopped, listening. As I did, a series of dull thuds began. Methodical. Muted. Wet._

_... It was that way. So were they..._

_I continued sloshing through the red heat, panting, sweating and praying. I headed towards the thudding, hoping that whoever was making the noise was in a friendly mood..._

_There was a bit of a raised rock, jagged, black and unfriendly, jutting out of the blood, under a dead tree. On it stood a figure in red-stained white, swinging an axe repeatedly, rhythmically pounding the blade down into the chunks of meat on the slab of rock before him. Guessing what the raw, red masses of meat were, I gagged. Still, I approached. As I did, I saw my assumption was correct, a few pieces of the body vaguely recognizable as human. I also saw that the axeman was someone I knew._

_"_Mignon_." I called dumbly._

_He paused in his work, the axe buried in what was once a limb of some sort. I couldn't tell with the head missing like that. Ever-so-slowly, he turned his head to look at me. Red splatters decorated his cheeks, his eyes blank and his mouth smeared with red._

_"... You." he said dully before turning back to his work._

_I cautiously approached the rock. He didn't react, swinging the axe over and over, again and again. "... Uh... C-can I come up...?" I asked timidly, ready to bolt if he turned on me._

_"Sure." he said, not pausing in the slightest._

_I scrabbled up the slick, slippery rock to stand near him, using the flaking tree for balance. I panted, watching him work for a bit._

_"Mignon... I need help." I gasped. He didn't reply, so I continued, "I'm looking for something, but I need help. These people, they can help," and took the picture from my pocket._

_He paused, the axe over his shoulder and dripping red down his back and onto the rock. Turning his head, he looked at the half-destroyed photo in my hand. "... Them? You don't need them." he told me, voice dull and flat as he turned back to his work._

_"Yes, I do! They can help me find it!" I objected, my voice raising in my hysteria._

_"No, you don't. Otherwise you wouldn't've left." Mignon murmured, swinging the axe again. It sank into the rock and lodged there, so he turned to look at me before pulling it free. "You left them behind. If you need them so much, you wouldn't have."_

_Left them behind? I didn't even know who they were!_

_I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Mignon... _Please_... Do you know where they are...?" I pleaded._

_"Yes."_

Thunk_._

_"... Please... Could you show me...?"_

_Thud._

_"I can't."_

Thunk_._

_"Why not?!" I accused._

_Mignon turned to me again. Not just with his head this time, but his whole body. As he did, the rattle of chains reached my ears. I looked down at his feet. Dull black steel shackles kept him chained to the rock, to his work._

_"Mignon, why're you _here?_" I asked softly._

_He didn't answer, turning back to the mutilated red meat before him, swinging the axe over his shoulder, up, and forcefully down. The dull, damp thuds continued, the sickening crunch of a bone being broken accompanying it._

_"Mignon!" I yelled, tears in my eyes and bile in my throat. "Mignon, stop, it's dead already!"_

_"It was dead when I got it." _Thud_. "I can't stop." Crunch. "Not until the guards say I can." _Thunk_._

_I turned away, unable to keep the bile down any longer._

_As I emptied my stomach, a loud shriek rent the air, metal grinding on metal and killing each other. I shuddered, covering my ears._

_"Lunch-break." I heard Mignon say as it ended._

_I spun around in horror, expecting him to pick up one of those slabs of red he'd been hacking up. Instead, he laid the axe down and walked towards the edge of the rock. Once the chains of the shackles pulled taunt, he sat down, waiting. I blinked, looking around in confusion._

_A loud sloshing alerted me to someone approaching. I gasped, whipping around._

_A pair of white-furred wolf-men stood before Mignon, gleaming red eyes hungry for blood. One had a hooded eagle perched on his shoulder. The other had a huge black bag slung over his shoulder. Both had red-and-yellow-stained teeth, long black claws, and wore white uniforms with police-like badges._

_"You have a visitor." one observed, sneering at Mignon._

_"I hope you didn't slack off because of him." the other growled, taking the hood off the eagle on his shoulder. The beady-eyes bird instantly fixated on Mignon. With a rustle of feathers, it flew to Mignon's lap. I blinked in confusion as Mignon lifted his shirt up a bit._

_But as the eagle tore into his stomach, I was forced to retch again._

_... A modern Prometheus indeed..._

_"Weak-stomached, ain't ya?" one of the wolves sniggered._

_I didn't answer, watching in horror as they lifted a headless body out of the black bag. It was thrown carelessly onto the rock where Mignon had been working, and the pieces of the first swept into the bag. I fell to my knees, unable to stand any more for the horror._

_Mignon watched me indifferently as the eagle feasted on his insides. One of the wolves suddenly produced a ladle out of nowhere, dipping it into the sea of blood he stood in. Roughly grabbing Mignon's chin, he jerked his head around and forced it back. With a rather uncharacteristic gentleness, he put the ladle to Mignon's lips._

_I could've sworn there was nothing left in my stomach to throw up, but apparently there was._

_The eagle was apparently done, because it flew back to it's master's shoulder. The wolf slid the hood back onto it's head, and his companion took out a needle and thread. I shakily stood up, using the dead tree for leverage._

_"So, why're you here?" one of the wolves asked. I don't know which, I wasn't looking._

_"I... I need to b-borrow... Mignon..." I gasped._

_"What for?" asked the one with the hawk._

_"... He's looking for them." Mignon murmured when I didn't answer._

_The wolves exchanged a glance, then burst out laughing._

_"If you think they'll really let you come crawling back after you left them, sure!" one hooted._

_"Here!" guffawed the other, tossing me a key that I nearly dropped._

_I watched, frozen by confusion, as they left, still roaring with laughter. After they were pretty much gone, I fell to my knees, fumbling with the key as I tried desperately to unlock the shackles around Mignon's ankles. Finally freeing him, I gasped in relief. The skin around his ankles was red, sore and chapped. A few popped blisters glistened with lymph. I cringed as Mignon slid without hesitation into the ocean of death._

_"This way." he instructed softly._

_I slid into the wet warmth after him, hurriedly splashing along next to him. "Mignon, who exactly are they?" I panted. He was moving so freaking _fast_ compared to me! I was wading through molasses, and he was gliding neatly through the stuff like this was nothing!_

_"Izaya Orihara, his boyfriend Shizuo Heiwajima, and their son Eidolon Heiwajima. After you left them, Eidolon died. Once that happened, Shizuo and Izaya fell apart. They accused each other of being at fault for everything. They eventually broke up. It was Izaya who crossed out their smiling faces. He didn't want to be reminded of the joy he'd had ripped away from him, returning to his cold ways. Shizuo left him and went back to his old apartment, becoming animalistically violent." Mignon told me, his voice monotone._

_I shivered, unnerved by all this._

_"We'll see Izaya first... But I don't know if he'll talk." Mignon said._

_"Why not?" I asked, almost dreading the answer._

_"I heard rumor that, shortly before the citizens of Shinjuku and Ikebukuro had him crucified, he slit his throat in a fit of depressed rage."_

_"Mignon!"_

_I yelped, starting as a girl similar to Mignon approached, a broad smile on her face._

_"Mignon, are you and Ai-chan here to see Iza-nii?" she asked sweetly._

_"Ai-chan...?" I mumbled in confusion as Mignon confirmed her question._

_"Izaya's pet name for you before you left." he told me, following after the girl. I gulped, following them. I swear, I had _no idea_ who any of these people were!_

_Seeing the cross ahead, I stopped, gagging. A black-haired man clad in black was nailed to it with large, rusty nails. The wounds bled a thick, dark red substance. Even with his head bowed the way it was, I could see his neck bleeding similarly from a neat slit. On his head sat a wreath of brambles._

_"It's oddly appropriate. He always wanted to be a god." Mignon said absently._

_I blanched._

_"Iza-nii! Mignon and Ai-chan came to see you!" crooned the patchwork girl, reaching up to pat the raven's face. A low hiss sounded. "He said he doesn't wanna see Ai-chan, but he'll talk to Mignon!"_

_Mignon approached the cross, tilting his head to the side and reaching up to brush black bangs away. I could vaguely hear him murmuring. Choked gurgles and low hisses replied. Mignon tilted his head the other way._

_This was sick... And they all thought it was _my_ fault? I didn't even _know_ these people!_

_Mignon turned and came back to me. The girl waved in farewell as he led me away._

_"So?" I asked weakly._

_"He said that Shizuo had it, the last he knew."_

_The animal-like one? I shivered._

_It seemed hours later when we came to a wall. The wall went up about two feet over the blood, so about to my chest, and was circular. Standing around it were a few haggard-looking people yelling, jeering and hollering. Mignon went to stand at the wall, and I followed._

_It was like at a zoo, where the enclosure is lower down than you are. Fighting in the pit was a trio of wolf-men and a savage-looking blonde man. The wolves seemed to be losing, even with their knives and guns. All the blonde had was what looked like a street-sign._

_As I watched, one of the wolf-men shot the blonde. He roared, turning swiftly about and taking the white-furred head off with his sign. A series of boos and hisses arose._

_I turned away, choking on the bile rising in my throat._

_"He used to hate violence..." I vaguely heard Mignon sigh wistfully._

_The noise from the pit suddenly stopped._

_"What's _HE_ doing here?"_

_I turned back, seeing the tall blonde standing next to Mignon, glaring furiously at me._

_"He's looking for it. Izaya said that you had it." Mignon murmured, resting his head against the blonde's chest._

_The harsh expression melted away as the blonde looked at Mignon. He crooned a little, nuzzling Mignon's hair and gently hugging him. "What now?" he purred._

_I wanted to urge Mignon to hurry, but I was fearful of the blonde turning on me._

_"That thing. Do you know where it is?" Mignon replied._

_"Oh, _that_. It's with Eidolon. I left it with him at Izaya's." the blonde replied indifferently._

_"I thought Eidolon was dead." I blurted._

_"He is." Mignon told me as the blonde snarled. "It's in Shinjuku, you said?"_

_"You're going?" the blonde mewled piteously, hugging Mignon closer. I shivered at the sudden mood swings. This guy was unpredictable and wild... If it weren't for Mignon, I'd be _dead_..._

_"If I can get another break, I'll come back." Mignon assured the blonde, patting his cheek. Sighing, the blonde let Mignon go and jumped back into the pit._

_"Shinjuku...?" I mumbled._

_"Around this corner." Mignon pointed. I gulped, following him down the block. As we rounded the corner, I pulled up short, recognizing the street I'd started out on. "This way." Mignon called over his shoulder, not waiting for me. I clumsily sloshed after him. How on earth did he move so effortlessly through this stuff?! Seriously, he was gliding through it like there was nothing there, but I was splashing and floundering like... like... insert simile here._

_Mignon entered the building I'd started in. Gulping, I followed after him. This first floor was flooded with red as well, though it was calmer than the stuff outside, which made it easier to move through. However, the enclosed space seemed to make it warmer, the smell becoming stronger as a result. I covered my mouth and nose again, even though I knew it was futile. Mignon calmly headed for a flight of stairs, and I followed him. He padded up the stairs, dripping quietly. His legs were bathed red, and I wasn't much different._

_Once we came to the fourth floor, Mignon paused, looking at me. I was panting and sweating, and took advantage of his stopping to sag against the wall in exhaustion. Slowly recovering, I stood up. He began walking, and I followed him to one of the doors lining the hall. Without knocking, he opened the door and went in. Gulping, I followed him._

_The apartment where I started._

_Only now there was a woman sitting at the desk near the window. She was typing furiously on the computer, scowling. She wore a green sweater, a red skirt, and black leggings. As we entered, she looked briefly up, then turned back to her work. Mignon ignored her, moving over to a door I hadn't noticed. I scurried after him, casting a final glance at the woman._

_"Eidolon's in here." Mignon told me, pointing through the open door._

_Slowly, fearful of what I'd find in there, I moved into the room._

_It was a bedroom. A teenager's bedroom. And lying on the floor was the dead Eidolon._

He had it.

_I could see it, _there_, around his neck._

_My heart leapt, and I began moving quickly towards him, reaching for the thing around his neck—_

_"_ADAM!_"_

_Eve._

_I stopped, spinning around to see Mignon slump against the doorframe, Eve standing fearfully in the outer room. The woman at the desk had fallen down as well. Everything was suddenly shaking._

_"Adam! We have to get out of here!" Eve screamed._

_"Just a second, there's something I need to get!" I called back over the rumbling of the world shaking._

_"We have to go _NOW_!" Eve screamed frantically as I turned back to the dead boy on the floor._

_As I reached for the thing around his neck, I gasped. His arm had snapped up, grabbing onto my wrist. Slowly, he turned his head to look at me._

_Everything stood still as our eyes met._

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

I sat bolt-upright, panting and covered in sweat.

"Adam, what's wrong?" Eve asked in a quavering voice from her uncertain perch next to me. "You were screaming in your head, but I couldn't get through to you... You kept pushing me out."

I didn't answer her.

How could I?

Everything seemed so _wrong_ now...

Slowly, mouth open and eyes wide, I turned my head to look at her. Her golden eyes were wide with fear and confusion. Closing my mouth and swallowing, I timidly reached out and touched her tummy. She was about a week and a half pregnant. She had told me that soon, in the next week or so, she'd be able to touch our baby's mind and talk to it. I had been so _excited_...

"What if everything turned out to be a lie...?" I asked dumbly, thinking of Mignon.

"Ad... am...?"


	22. Chapter 22

{Shizuo's POV}

"Just how badly did you two spoil Eidolon?" Mignon asked flatly.

"Why?" Izaya asked.

"I get the feeling you spoiled him a bit." Mignon replied.

I chuckled a bit, since he was pretty much right. And now he was getting the same treatment.

Mignon had proven a simple person. The clothes he picked out were hardly considered as fancy, all of them being plain and simple. The phone he'd picked out was an older model. He hadn't gotten much in the way of other things, a few books and a couple of CDs. So the shopping had gotten over relatively fast. After dropping everything off back at the apartment, we'd decided to take him out and show him around Ikebukuro and Shinjuku. Right now we were sitting in West Gate Park, close to where Saika had swarmed.

"Hm."

Izaya and Mignon looked at me.

I held onto the random thought, thinking. "Y'know, we never really enrolled Eidolon in school, did we?" I said.

"Where on earth would _I_ be able to get into school?" Mignon asked, gesturing vaguely towards himself.

"Shizu-chan went to Raira Academy, and I went to Raijin. I'd rather you go to Raira, though. We know more people at Raira than we do Raijin." Izaya hummed thoughtfully.

Plus your sisters go to Raijin, and you secretly don't want them to find out about Mignon.

"What're you hiding about Raijin?" Mignon asked. I couldn't help but laugh. It was like he'd read my mind.

"My little sisters go to Raijin." Izaya huffed, elbowing me. I smothered my chuckles under my hand.

"...?"

"Mairu and Kururi don't exactly like him." I explained, thinking of the deal I'd made with them. I'd probably rescind that sometime and just introduce them to Kasuka.

"Aah." Mignon said in understanding, nodding. Then he asked, "Do you and Kasuka get along?"

"Yeah... We don't see each other much because of work, though..." I mumbled as Izaya chortled. I elbowed him; why was he laughing, anyway?

Mignon nodded, looking about in a distracted manner.

"What's wrong?" Izaya and I asked instantly.

"... Do I _have_ to go to school...?" he mumbled quietly, seeming rather dejected.

"I don't know. It's just an idea at the moment." Izaya said.

Mignon didn't answer.

Sensing his discomfort, I reached out and pulled him close. He rested his head against my chest as I wrapped my arms around him. Izaya reached out and took one of his hands.

I understood what he was worried about. He was afraid no one would accept him. At the Elsworth estate, he had been a tool, but everyone had accepted him. Out here in the real world, there was a very good chance they wouldn't, despite everything Izaya had told Shinra. That was an understandable concern.

"If it makes you that uncomfortable, you don't have to. And it's just an idea." I murmured into his hair.

"I know. I'm just... a little nervous." Mignon sighed, nodding.

"Give it time. It'll get better." Izaya soothed, leaning forward to plant a kiss on his temple.

Before any of us could make another move, there was a loud squeal behind us.

_Erika_.

Mignon instantly became tense, avoiding eye-contact with anyone. Izaya and I tried our best to ignore Erika's rambling as Kyohei and Walker approached.

"Nice to see you two back." Kyohei greeted with a smile.

"Yep." Izaya grinned.

"So where's Eidolon?" Walker asked, looking curiously at Mignon.

"He's dead. That bitch Eve tore everything that was Eidolon out and shoved in this Adam-freak. Eidolon is dead." I said, rather stiffly.

"Oh, sorry..."

"So then who's this?" Erika asked curiously, pointing to Mignon. Mignon lifted his head, and she gasped. "Omigosh, Walker, _look!_ It's like in _Black Butler_!" she squealed ecstatically.

"...?" Mignon looked to us as she and Walker went off on a tangent.

"Just ignore them. They never make any sense." I advised. Kyohei nodded, and Izaya hummed in agreement. "But, at the very least, we know they like you..."

Kyohei chuckled a bit. Offering his hand to Mignon, he said, "I'm Kyohei, a friend of Izaya and Shizuo's. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise. My name's Mignon."

"Might I ask why you're with them?" Kyohei asked, watching as Erika and Walker wandered off, still yammering about something.

"I was made to be a guard at the Elsworth estate, but I found out the truth about Eidolon. I tried to help him remember, but only succeeded in making things worse. When they came to retrieve Eidolon, he attempted to stab Shizuo, but I got in the way. They decided to save me afterwards." Mignon explained.

Recalling how he'd become almost fatally-wounded for me, I growled, pulling him closer. My fingers ghosted over his side, gently touching the still-healing wound in his side. It was much better now, but he still needed to take it easy on that side or risk opening it back up. Izaya had a dark look on his face as well as he thought of the knife.

Kyohei looked between us somewhat nervously.

"It was a pretty bad injury." I muttered, and he nodded.

"So what happens if, by some miracle, Eidolon comes back?" he asked.

Neither Izaya or I answered.

"He'll have to put up with an older brother, that's what happens." Mignon said simply. "Shizuo, you're holding me way too tight."

I felt my cheeks pink a tiny bit as I let Mignon go. Izaya and Kyohei chuckled.

"Also, if you send me to school and he comes back but doesn't have to go, I'll drop out." Mignon threatened, his voice deadpan.

We laughed.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon/Adam's POV}

_It wasn't here._

I was reliving that dream. The thing I was looking for wasn't here.

The choker.

I'd put it here, in the drawer of my nightstand. But it wasn't here.

I cast about briefly before spotting it on the dresser on the other side of the room. Sighing in relief, I walked across the room and picked it up. Lately, it was the only thing that could soothe the noise in my head.

I rubbed the pad of my thumb across the silver charm, considering the necklace.

Off the top of my head, a notion came to me.

Gulping, I took it by the ends and brought them around my neck. I fumbled with the clasp for a minute, but then it clicked into place. Content that it was securely around my neck, I looked up, into the mirror above the dresser.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

Everything shattered.

I gasped, falling against the wall.

I vaguely heard Tyrone yelling my name.

_Hatred. Betrayal. Hurt. Shock._

... _Somehow_...

I fell to my knees, covering my mouth with one hand as I sobbed weakly.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{?'s POV}

And so everything falls into place.

I smirked, leaning back and crossing my legs. Behind me, Mignon growled, grinning with a bloodthirsty smile. "Not long now, Milady..." he smirked, clenching his fists.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

**A/N: Short chappie!**

**Everything's coming together now!**

**Any guesses who 'Milady' is before I tell you?**


	23. Chapter 23

{Eidolon's POV}

"You're _leaving?!_"

"Of _course_ I'm leaving, dipshit!" I snarled.

"You can't!" Tyrone spat.

"Who's gonna make me an' why the fuck not?! Outta my way, hussy!" I roared.

Tyrone bristled at that comment, but demanded, "What about my _sister?!_ Did you forget that you knocked her up?!"

I stopped.

_Shit_, I hadn't thought about that... I had handed over my virginity to the most corrupt person on the planet with a big happy smile on my face! And had a baby on the way as a result!

I swore loudly, turning and driving my fist into the wall. Tyrone jumped a bit at the resulting hole, blinking. I spun back to face him, my eyes smoldering.

"I'll be back. But not for you. Not for that bitch. Not for your fucked-up company or it's twisted idea of the so-called 'perfect world.' I'll be back to make sure she doesn't mess with my baby's head. I'll be back to make sure this kid is raised to be perfectly normal. Because the world doesn't revolve around humans. In the perfect world, there is no sin or vice— Better start exterminating the whole human race." I hissed.

I took care to shove Tyrone as I stormed past, making him stumble. Eve flinched, standing in the hall as I burst from the room like a tiger from a cage. I ignored her, making sure to not touch her as I walked past.

To think I had been head-over-heels for her!

... Shit, that'd been mean...

I was halfway down the stairs when something occurred to me.

... I'd worried about being mean to her. I'd worried about something like that for that...

... I couldn't bring myself to call her that again...

_Shit_.

There were two people in my head. There was the lovesick idiot I'd been for the past month or so... and there was the son of the two scariest humans in Tokyo.

...

Eidolon Heiwajima for the win. Screw Adam.

I gave up trying to figure out the tangle of emotions in my head and ran down the rest of the stairs.

I had to get home. I had to get to Izaya. To Shizuo.

...

Would they... would they take me back...? I'd been such a dick... What if they didn't want me anymore? What if they told me to get lost? After all, they'd taken Mignon with them, they had a new kid to fuss over... God, had I been replaced by my best friend?!

My heart began pounding fearfully, cold sweat slicking my skin, my mouth drying up, I ran. I ran as hard and fast as I could.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

I sobbed into Tyrone's chest.

_He was coming back, he was coming back, he was coming back..._

What had I _done?!_ This was all my fault!

I let out a shrill scream of frustration and anguish.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{?'s POV}

Uh-oh...

My hold on her was slipping. Soon her mental barriers would crumble, just like Eidolon's had.

Mignon frowned. "That's bad, right? Really bad?" he asked.

"That depends. As long as she can't trace anything back to me, we should be fine. Besides... She's spent longer as the personality I built up. So like Eidolon won over Adam, hopefully the big-girl Eve will win out over the powderpuff-baby we've been seeing. And even if she doesn't, the Eve I built over is weak, scared and young. The child that never was, if you will." I sighed.

Mignon blinked, not entirely understanding. I chuckled at his confusion.

"You see, Mignon, I've been working with Eve's mind since she was conceived. She had accepted me as her subconscious mind due to the continual work I've had with her... but the child that never was is fully aware of my influence over her. Aware and fearful. As a result, she pushes it to the back of her mind, trying to ignore it. But I'm stronger than her. I was able to override everything about her and manipulate her to my purposes." I smiled.

He scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Aww, how sweet! Thank you, Mignon!" I laughed, tilting my head to the side.

He'd been thinking so:

_'Of course you're stronger than her— You're her mother, aren't you?'_


	24. Chapter 24

{Mignon's POV}

"So, what, you're half Eidolon and half Shizuo's little brother?"

"My original name _was_ Kasuka-Eidolon for a reason." I nodded.

Shizuo and Izaya were both busy today, so Izaya had asked a favor of a trio of Raira-students. If I was sent off to school, they'd be my underclassmen at Raira Academy. Mikado Ryugamine, Masaomi Kida, and Anri Sonohara. Izaya had said that they were good kids, each with their own secrets and hidden pasts, but that they were still good kids. And they were really nice.

"How'd they do that?" Anri asked as Masaomi poked my side.

"Using the same basic process used to create Eidolon, OSI created a clone of both Kasuka and Eidolon Heiwajima. We were trained to work so in-sync we thought as one, and then we were cut up and sewn together like this." I explained, pushing Masaomi's hand away. It was the opposite side of my body as my stab-wound, but it was rather annoying...

"Well, if your stitches are biodegradable, wouldn't your body eventually grow together on it's own and not need them?" Mikado asked.

I tilted my head to the side, thinking. That _did_ make sense...

Pushing Masaomi away again, I replied, "Probably, but better safe than sorry, I'll keep them. Besides, they set me out as my own person, and I don't think they are biodegradable."

"Okay."

As Masaomi persistently tried again to touch my side, I gently took his wrist and held onto him. "Your curiosity and playfulness are very cute, but I'm still healing from a knife-wound. You're making me kinda jumpy." I told him.

"Knife? Was it Izaya?"

Awfully fast to accuse... I shook my head, gently touching my side, right over the old wound. "Adam was trying to attack Shizuo, and I intervened." I explained.

"Adam? Do you mean Eidolon?" Mikado gasped.

"He had the body of Eidolon, but the mind of someone else. He's not Eidolon. Now he's a stupid, lovesick bimbo that can't tell his elbow from his ass." I shrugged.

Masaomi snorted, turning away to stifle his laughter as his friends blushed a bit at my language. I smiled, chuckling a little at their expressions.

"So... Eidolon's gone...?" Anri mumbled.

I dropped my head, looking off to the right. "Sorry. As far as I know, Eidolon is dead." I apologized softly.

They were quiet, not responding. I couldn't bear to look at them.

"... Thanks for telling us the truth." Mikado murmured.

"Mm-hmm. Sorry to be bearing such shitty news." I replied, nodding vaguely.

"Man, you can definitely tell that Shizuo Heiwajima's been raising you! Such foul language!" Masaomi laughed, changing the subject.

I looked up at him with a challenging expression. "Are you saying you've never sworn before in your life? For a playboy, you're awfully angelic." I smirked, tilting my head to the side so that my bangs fell in my eye.

"Are you challenging me?" Masaomi grinned, spreading his hands and twitching his fingers at me.

"You two are awful." Mikado chuckled, shaking his head.

"Nah, you're just a puss."

"K-Kida-kun!" "Masaomi, that wasn't nice..."

"That was going too far... One can definitely tell you two are friends." I chuckled, leaning back. Mikado and Anri blinked as Masaomi cocked his head. "Friends treat each other like prized gems. Best friends treat each other like trash." I explained.

Masaomi laughed, Anri smiled, and Mikado shook his head.

I smiled, glad they were entertained.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Izaya's POV}

I'd been on my way to an appointment with Shiki, but I'd decided to delay a little bit.

This was because I'd spotted Mignon with the Raira-trio. I'd convinced them to take care of him for the day. And from their happy, smiling faces, they were enjoying his company. And from how he was smiling as well, he was happy too.

I crossed my arms, smiling softly as I watched.

He was so much cuter when he had that smile on his face.

"So Eidolon's gone. Is that his replacement?"

I frowned, turning to look at Shiki. "Mignon is not a replacement. Eidolon is dead. Shizu-chan and I saved Mignon from a similar fate." I told him.

Shiki chuckled, shaking his head. "You claim no particular attachment to any one person, but you become so fond of those two." he commented.

"They're not human. They're my monsters." I smirked. "But I don't think this was a discussion about my family...?"

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon's POV}

After my initial storming out, I'd come back half an hour later for money and other things I'd need to get back home. However, I'd refused Eve's offer of having one of the guards— or Tyrone— drive me to the nearest airport. Now, a full three days later, I was finally close to home. A two-day flight, and I'd be in Tokyo.

The airport reminded me of when we'd first escaped...

I sighed, shaking my head. If they didn't take me back, I'd just curl up in a dark, smelly hole in a ditch next to the road and die. I had once said I'd rather die than live without my parents. Only about a week ago, I'd told them I'd rather die than go with them.

Would they ever forgive me...?

... I wouldn't approach them directly. That... that sounded like _suicide_. But...

I closed my eyes, tilting my head back. One hand went up to touch my choker, the metal of the charm cool under my fingertips.

"I'm almost there... I'll be there soon... Please... Be there for me when I get there..." I murmured.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eve's POV}

I sat on the edge of the bed, my back to the door, staring at the window. Not out it. Not at the world beyond it, but at it. At the sheet of glass.

My semitransparent reflection kicked her feet in time with my own. It felt like... These sheets of glass surrounded my mind. Someone had put these walls up, the same way I had with Eidolon. But now they were going to break, and I didn't want them to break. I didn't want the world to come back in. I wanted to stay in this fake reality, where everything made sense.

The things I could see through the cloudy glass in my mind were not pretty.

Those things said that everything I'd ever done... Everything I'd ever been...

... was a lie...

How long could I keep this barrier up? How long could I keep it from shattering and the truth from pouring in?

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Tyrone's POV}

I lifted my head with a shudder.

"... Eve..."

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

Namie was staring again.

After a while, the others and I had gone our separate ways. After exploring a bit, I'd come home. Izaya and Shizuo were both still out, but Namie was working at the computer. I'd gotten Celty out from her hiding-place after a while.

Namie was constantly staring at me. I think that, like Shinra, she wanted to understand how I worked, but was a little more aware of just how much trouble she could get in if she tried anything. Shinra was just naïve in a hopeless— albeit cute and childish— way. Namie was cold and calculating.

Not to mention her brother was in love with Celty.

I curled up, cradling Celty close to my chest.

"What on earth do you see in that head?" Namie suddenly demanded.

"I grew up in a box, similar to Eidolon. She was the only companion I had that was always there for me... And she's pretty, in an otherworldly way. She has an allure to her that few human women have." I replied.

"So that unmoving lump has more 'allure' to her than a runway-model in some skimpy outfit?" she snorted.

"That's not allure. _That's_ flat out perverseness." I objected. She raised an eyebrow at me, prompting me to explain, "Allure is not just sexual desire. There is an edge of curiosity, but it's fascination with the powerful, mysterious qualities of it. Allure can be tangled with sexual desire, but that's not all it is."

She blinked.

"You're asking because of him, right?" I asked softly.

Namie didn't reply, scowling a little bit. There was, however, a softness in her eyes.

"Have you tried compromising?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Tyrone Elsworth is in love with his little sister Eve much the same way you are with your brother. She agreed to meet him halfway— If he could fulfill every task she set before him, she'd become closer with him. And they were already close, too. Eve's a psychic, and forms mental bonds with those close to her, like her brother. Even without reading his mind or his broadcasting, she has an awareness of what's going on in his head. He even has some perception into her mind. Them becoming closer than they already were was tricky, but they managed. Perhaps you should try compromising with your brother." I suggested.

Namie didn't respond. I didn't speak again, sighing.

It wasn't that I... felt any emotion where sighing was necessary. It was one of those deep breaths you take and let all out at once. The ones that're like yawns.

I really should've been getting more rest. The wound was next to gone, yes, but I didn't want to do anything like open it up somehow... I was tired...

Closing my eyes, I curled up tighter, nuzzling Celty's brunette locks.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

"Where's Mignon?" I asked, looking around. Namie pointed at the couch, not looking up from the computer she was working on. I tilted my head, moving over to peer over the back of the couch.

"Aah... Geez, you goof..." I smiled softly, reaching down to gently brush his brown-and-black bangs away from his eyes. Mignon jolted a little at my touch, showing that his sleeping habits were more like Izaya's.

He'd fallen asleep curled into a cute fetal position with Celty's head nestled in the curve of his body. His mouth was open, like it always was when he slept, and his side slowly swelled and collapsed as he breathed.

"We _told_ you to take it easy..." I chuckled as the sunlight filtering through the window bathed him a soft golden-orange. He took on an angelic appearance, even with his Halloween-worthy stitches. That muted warm color was just...

... just him. A color that seemed to have decided to paint both of our children with it's glow.


	25. Chapter 25

{Eve's POV}

Eidolon would be in Ikebukuro about now. Maybe not at this exact moment, but some time today.

I sighed.

"Eve, you being this depressed isn't good for the baby." Tyrone said with a frown. "You're only two weeks into pregnancy and already risking your child's life by being this gloomy."

I sighed again, standing up. He was right, I knew... Me acting this way would mean nothing good...

"Have you tried touching it yet?" Tyrone asked, tilting his head to the side.

"... Yeah. There's two. Twins." I mumbled. Tyrone blinked in surprise. "I don't think they're identical... They feel different... If they were identical, it'd feel like I was touching the same person twice, I think... But it's like..."

I waved my hand in circles, mouth open as I groped for words.

Really, touching the minds of my babies before they were even born... It was _incredible_. They were so small and tiny, hardly even thinking, more of just tiny hiccups. I smiled a little, reaching out with my mind to touch them again.

... Little heartbeats...

I must've been broadcasting, because Tyrone chuckled, gently touching his hand to mine.

As I looked at him, one thought struck me through the bond—

_'Oh, Eve— Why couldn't I have been the father?'_

And then, absently, I could only think...

_... why _couldn't_ you have been?_

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon's POV}

Okay. Okay.

It was Saturday. They shouldn't be in school. Hopefully they aren't the types who plan out busy weekends.

I swallowed nervously, looking around.

What would they think of me? Would they believe me? Brush me off as a joke?

I had to try. I had to try, or I was screwed.

Gathering up my courage, I picked up the phone and dialed the number stored in my memory. My heart thudded in my ears as I counted the tone.

... Four... Five... Six...

_"Hello?"_

Yes, thank you! "Um... Hi, is this, um... Mairu Orihara...?" I asked timidly.

_"Uh-huh. Who're you?"_

_Wow_, she was quick to the point... "My name is Eidolon... And... I'm your nephew." I said.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a minute, and then a loud burst of laughter.

Izaya had told me she was the devil in disguise...

_"Very funny! Did Iza-nii put you up to that?"_ she crowed.

"Please, listen. I'm..." Celty had told them the story, right? So hopefully I could tell it and she'd listen? "Izaya Orihara and Shizuo Heiwajima went missing a while back. They were kidnapped by Omega Science Incorporated. I was with them at OSI. They adopted me." I tried.

_"Yeah, Celty told us about that... OSI's the corrupt science company, right? The one who likes bioengineering?"_

At the very least, I had her attention... "Yeah... That's right..." I confirmed.

_"Okay, let's suppose that for a minute, you really _are_ Kururi and me's nephew. Why're you calling me out of the blue?"_

Dammit, I should've seen that coming... We never had been introduced...

"Because I'm in a bit of trouble. I... I sorta ran away for a while... Now Shizuo and Izaya are super pissed-off at me. I wanna say I'm sorry, but..." I trailed off weakly. Would they even _accept_ my apology, take me back? Or would they tell me to get lost?

_"But you don't wanna go alone cuz you're a wuss."_

Ouch, hey! Aloud, I said, "Yes... Can you please help...?"

_"Hmm... Lemme see."_

There was some static, and then I could dimly hear a pair of voices in the background. I closed my eyes, heart in my throat as it hammered wildly. Please, please please _please_, say you'll help...

_"What'd you say your name was?"_

"Ah— Eidolon." I answered hurriedly.

_"Okay. Here's what'll happen. Kururi and I'll meet you at West Gate Park, at the fountain where the freaky flash mob took place. If you try _anything_ funny or the like, we'll snap your neck. And _maybe_— emphasis on maybe— we'll take you to Iza-nii. Okay?"_

"Yes. Sounds good, thanks!"

She didn't reply, hanging up. I sighed in relief. The flash mob she was referring to must've been the people with the red eyes... I think I knew where that had been...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

"He looks like Iza-nii, doesn't he? And Mr. Heiwajima." Mairu said, walking around me in circles. If you've ever seen those characters who turn white and sweat profusely in cartoons, that would adequately describe me at the time. "Don't talk much, d'ya?"

Like your sister talked more than me...

"I... I don't have, uh... m-much experience with new people..." I stammered. I hadn't been _this_ nervous even when introduced to the crowd at Russia Sushi, but Mairu had a scary aura...

"Hmm... What do you think, Kururi?"

Kururi tilted her head to the side, looking at me blankly. She was unreadable, unlike the maliciously-yet-dangerously-cute expressive Mairu, so I couldn't tell if she was thinking good thoughts or bad thoughts.

"We should probably take him to see Iza-nii. Just in case he's telling the truth." she said after a long, agonizing moment. Her voice was really soft, wasn't it...?

"Okay then!"

"Well, I knew the way, I just—" I began mumbling, but the two of them were already leaving. Sighing, I hurried to catch up.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Izaya's POV}

Since it was Saturday, I'd decided to give Namie the day off. It wasn't like I had work today, and neither did Shizuo. However, rather than taking Mignon someplace, we'd unanimously decided to just be lazy today. As a result, I was chatting online while Mignon and Shizuo read. Mignon was reading Let The Right One In, and Shizu-chan was reading some tabloid that I hadn't thought he knew existed.

So it was pretty quiet. The clicking of the keyboard and the rustling of paper dominated the room.

And then a knock came at the door.

We all looked up, waiting for a repetition of the action accompanied by a voice calling out that would identify the visitor. A knock did indeed come again, along with hushed conversation. Shizuo frowned, and Mignon put his book down. I signed out of the chat and stood, drawing a knife. It wasn't often such visitors came to see me, but when they did, they often attempted foul play...

And then there was the noise of the door opening, accompanied by a loud, "Iza-nii!"

"Oh, god, spare me..." I groaned as Mairu charged into the apartment, followed by Kururi.

"What're _YOU_ doing here?!"

Shizuo's snarl drew my attention to the third figure that'd entered.

_Adam_.

I hissed, glaring at him. Only Mignon stayed calm of the three of us.

"So they really _are_ pissed off at you about something!" Mairu exclaimed, turning to look at Adam as he flinched.

"Pissed off doesn't _begin_ to describe it. Get out and go back to your _whore_, you sonova bitch." I growled.

"No, wait—" Adam began, taking a step forward. My sisters watched in twisted amusement as he yelped, dodging the lamp Shizuo threw at him.

"Get _OUT!_" Shizuo roared.

"Around his neck." Mignon said simply, pointing.

My gaze and Shizuo's followed Mignon's finger to Adam's neck.

A simple, fuzzy band of black ran around his neck. Nestled in the dip above his collarbone was a silver pentagram charm.

...?!

"Please, I'm sorry! I was... I mean...!" the brunette struggled.

"... Izaya..." Shizuo murmured, looking at me.

"Yeah." I nodded, understanding. This could very well have been a trick of Eve's and Tyrone's. Adam-slash-Eidolon looked at me with wide eyes. "Just to make sure this isn't a trick... What was the name of the man who rescued us in Greenland?"

Time seemed to stop as he took a breath to answer. Mignon didn't know this. I highly doubted Adam would. It was relevant to Shizuo and I. It would've been erased.

"The man who saved us was called..."


	26. Chapter 26

{Eidolon's POV}

"The man who saved us was called..."

This was my only chance... If I messed up the tiniest bit, I was never coming back.

"... Felipe."

The only word I can think of to describe the next moment is 'explosion.' Izaya flew at me, Shizuo flew at me, I could only stumble back and fall to the floor... Panic thrummed in my temples. I was positive that was his name! I hadn't hesitated or anything! Did they think that Eve was supplying me with answers?!

But then I realized that wasn't why they were attacking me.

Not with tearful smiles.

I gasped, allowing myself to melt into a heap of tears under them. One or the other— maybe both— was planting kisses on my face, their hands seemed to cling like spiders to trees during a windstorm, and their warm weight was very quickly putting my legs to sleep. I closed my eyes, crying as I snuggled into them. Apologies tumbled from my lips in a steady stream of hiccups and sobs. I couldn't make out what either of them were saying, but I took comfort in hearing their voices.

Voices I'd been missing the whole time...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Mignon's POV}

"Their other son, huh?"

"I'm a more recent acquisition. Eidolon's been around longer." I nodded.

"He's a wuss." Mairu commented.

"Eh." I shrugged.

"Which one of them is he calling 'Mommy?'" Kururi asked curiously, watching the tearful reunion with her head tilted to the side.

"Your brother is our mother figure. Kids normally take the father's name— That's why we're Eidolon and Mignon Heiwajima. And I think that Izaya and Shizuo were discussing getting married soon a day or two ago..."

"Then we'd be Yuhei's sisters!" Mairu squealed, eyes shining as she bounced up and down ecstatically. Kururi's eyes shone as well, but she refrained from bouncing around. I chuckled a little, amused at how different they were.

"... Should we stop them...?" I murmured, realizing the door was still open.

"Naaah." Mairu said with a grin, watching the scene unfold with interest.

I sighed, shaking my head. "I'm gonna close the door, then..."

I vaulted over the couch, stepping delicately around the trio on the floor as I made my way to the door. I closed it just as the doors across the hall opened up. Without a word, I went back to the couch. Mairu and Kururi had sat down, waiting for me.

"So he said he was adopted while they were at the science-company." Mairu prompted.

"He was made there. He and I are basically clones. He was made with the combined DNA of Shizuo and Izaya, and I was made by combining two clones— the clone of him and Shizuo's brother." I replied.

"Like Frankenstein!" she grinned.

"Frankenstein was the man who made the monster, not the monster himself. The monster never had a name, it was just the monster." I corrected.

"But nonetheless, you're like that." Kururi pointed out.

"Kinda, yes." I shrugged. Not that I cared for the description, but that was kinda what it was.

"Um... Mignon...?"

I looked back at Eidolon. They'd gotten up now, and Eidolon was looking at me rather ashamedly. "Yes?" I asked calmly.

"I... I'm sorry. About stabbing you." he murmured.

"I'm not the type to hold grudges." I nodded, smiling a bit.

"So, Mr. Heiwajima!" Mairu said, putting her hands on her hips as she and her sister turned to face Shizuo. Izaya sniggered a little as Shizuo began bargaining with the fierce sisters.

"Um..." Eidolon breathed uncertainly.

"Hm?" I replied.

"... I have to go back eventually."

"_WHAT?!_" Izaya and Shizuo yelled.

"... Eve's pregnant." I guessed.

"Close to two weeks now." Eidolon nodded with a grimace.

Izaya looked at Shizuo, who picked up the twins and 'escorted' them out. Then he came back and an aura of seriousness settled over the apartment.

"Eve was going to touch it's mind using her telepathy, but then I left. I don't know the situation too well other than we kinda played around about a week before you guys came and she's bearing fruit as a result." Eidolon muttered, crossing his arms moodily.

"So you're going back to make sure she doesn't mess with your kid." I stated.

He nodded.

"Then we're going with you." Shizuo growled possessively.

"Eh?"

"You're ensuring the safety of your child, and they're ensuring the safety of theirs." I murmured, hunching my shoulders a little.

"What're you moping about? We aren't just going to kick you out now that Eidolon's back." Izaya murmured, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

I didn't answer him, looking at Eidolon. "I already know they're the type to spoil their children, but Izaya's the really-super-_clingy_ mother, isn't he?" I asked flatly.

Eidolon burst out laughing, nodding as he hugged himself. Izaya stuck his tongue out at him and Shizuo, who was guffawing at my comment.

"Anyway, I figured I'd stay for a day... Leave tomorrow night..." Eidolon murmured.

"Sounds good." Shizuo nodded, grabbing the youngest Heiwajima. I yelped as Izaya pulled me over the back of the couch. Shizuo sat next to us, and Eidolon and I found ourselves between our parents in a tight, warm hug. Eidolon sighed contentedly, snuggling into them as he closed his eyes with a serene smile. I smiled as well, resting against Izaya's chest and putting my chin on Eidolon's head.

Yeah, this was nice...

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Eidolon's POV}

I nudged open the door to Mignon's room. It was very plainly decorated, with few possessions.

I looked around.

"Mmph."

I jumped, looking at the bed. Mignon was curled into a ball under the sheets. When I did nothing, he opened one eye, peering at me. "Mmph." he repeated.

"Can't sleep, and there are rather... erm, obscene noises in their room..." I mumbled.

Mignon rolled over, creating more room on the bed. I smiled, padding over to the bed and climbing in next to him. I tried to preserve the space between us, figuring Mignon didn't like a lot of contact.

"... you doing..."

"Eh?" I asked.

Mignon crabbily opened one eye again. "What are you _doing?_ You wanna sleep with someone and refuse to touch them? Counterproductive, isn't it?"

"Ha-ha-ha... Someone's a crabby sleeper..." I chuckled, gladly snuggling up against him. Mignon sighed, adjusting his position to accommodate me.

**OOOOooooOOOOooooOOOO**

{Shizuo's POV}

"Aren't they up yet?" Izaya asked, slipping his shirt on.

"I dunno..." I yawned, stretching. I stood up and opened the door. Namie had arrived, and scowled a little as I looked around. Eidolon's door was open, and his room was empty. "Have you seen—" I started.

"No." she answered curtly, before I could finish.

Scowling, I went to try Mignon's room. Izaya had come out of our room by then, and stood behind me as I opened the door.

"Aah..." I chuckled, shaking my head.

Mignon was lying on his side, the sheets on the bed tangled somewhat awkwardly around him. He was slightly curled up, Eidolon's presence making him curve. Eidolon was curled into a ball, almost completely hidden under the sheets as he snored. He was snuggled up close to Mignon, one hand gripping the older's shirt.

Izaya chuckled as well, tilting his head to the side.

Mignon cracked one eye open to peer at us moodily before snuggling closer to his younger brother. "... five more minutes..." he mumbled, making shooing gestures at us.

We laughed, leaving the room.


End file.
